Lost Souls
by geekychic250127
Summary: Nineteen-year-old Shay Winters leads a life as Storybrooke's alleged thief and the ocean's beloved mermaid Ariel, trying to forget her dark past. However, when notorious Captain Hook enters Shay's life, her mistakes and tragedies are thrown back into her face. Can the infamous bad boy pirate help her make a new start? Possible AU, beginning in tandem with "The Cricket Game"
1. The Beginning - Part 1

**Disclaimer**: I do not own any of the characters featured in the popular television series _Once Upon A Time_ merely the context in which they appear.

Mermaids were meant to live in the sea. If humans were taken from land and replaced into the heart of Atlantis, they wouldn't take too well to the cold, unfriendly waters. In a similar sense, merfolk living on land with cumbersome feet replacing their graceful fins would be catastrophic. It was uncommon that a mermaid would choose to live on the surface, but then again, she was never just any mermaid.

On the eve of her wedding, the young redheaded girl stared out into the wide expanse of blue. Before her eyes was the gleaming horizon of the ocean, her old home long forgotten. The playful rays of sunlight danced across the surface as waves lightly caressed the sand bays beneath her feet. At each touch of cool water, she felt at peace.

Ariel often found herself staring at the ocean. It enchanted her for hours on end: the harmony of the melodious tone that enticed sailors into its endless presence. Sometimes Ariel regretted her decision to live on land, to leave her family and her home. Simply by one glance into the ocean.

"Ariel?"

The young girl quickly turned around, awakened from her spell. Behind her was a pair of deep blue eyes almost as enchanting as the sea itself. She smiled warmly, remembering why she made her sacrifice.

"It's getting late," Eric smiled, "We should be off soon."

Ariel nodded. At that moment of her life, she had never been happier than with her true love. Her Prince Eric, the one who would protect her against anything. Of course, Ariel shouldn't regret her decision. But she couldn't help herself. She stole one last glance at the ocean before she began her new life, happily ever after with her prince charming.

Little did she know that there was no such thing.

* * *

"Shay."

The young woman looked up from above the counter. An angry-looking bald man stood an inch away from her face, furiously eyeing her with disapproval.

"You're late," her boss said.

Shay rolled her eyes. "It won't happen again, Smee."

"Damn right it won't," Smee exclaimed, "Because next time you're late, I'm taking your job."

_Tell me something I don't know_ Shay thought to herself. She threw down her wrinkled apron and tied up her mass of red hair, getting ready for another dull day at work. Smee always found a way to anger her even when she was most at peace. But then again, Shay was in no position to contend her boss's wishes since she had in fact been late for the past two weeks. In the eyes of a bar owner, a bartender running late was deserving of a slap on the wrist, even during lazy Sunday afternoons.

Shay looked up. The empty bar consisted of homeless bums and town drunks waiting for their day to end with their last drink on the house. It was a slow day as usual. Not that she expected anyone of importance to walk through those doors before happy hour.

The young woman found her mind wandering. It's been many weeks since the curse was broken. The woman that broke the spell, Emma Swan, she believed, and her mother Snow White recently arrived back to Maine after a terrible ruse swept them back into the our old home in the realm of magic. Shay didn't know either of them well enough to feel an ounce of gratitude for their return. Why should she? It's not like she was a best friend with the Swan girl or the lady-in-waiting to the queen. All she was was a bartender.

"Clean up Table 1. Shay? Did you hear me?"

Shay looked up. Her piercing green eyes shot bullets through Smee's head as she grabbed a wet rag from the cabinet. She marched over to the edge of the bar reluctantly, wiping down droplets of beer and saliva split by the last drunk customer sitting at the stool.

"Gross," Shay muttered to herself, grabbing the empty mug of beer and brisking back over to the counter. Worst part of the day job was cleaning after the rather filthy customers.

She sighed. Not like any prince charming was coming to save her. Shay's eyes filled with the vision of her childhood past: a montage of images flashed through her brain like a torrent of uncontrollable memories. She thought back to the beginning, when it all began.

* * *

"Would you hurry up?" Ariel groaned. "You're slower than a sea horse."

The distressed red crab swam furiously to catch up with the enthusiastic young mermaid, flipping her glimmering green fins along the surface of the ocean depths. She felt her red hair flow against her shoulders as she swam in loops of a hopeless daydream.

"For the love of God, child," Sebastian exclaimed. "Find some sense of caution. We are at the surface. We could easily be seen."

"Live a little, Sebs," Ariel giggled. "What's wrong with some danger?"

"Where to begin," Sebastian muttered.

The youngest of her family, Ariel was often the most immature and reckless. While her sisters have already grown to the peak of maturity, Ariel still spent the majority of her free time wandering the edges of the ocean bed, scratching the barrier between the human world and hers. Sebastian, a member of her father's court (and her designated babysitter) often disapproved of her methods.

But her father couldn't even stop her. What made Sebastian think that he could?

"I am begging you, Ariel," Sebastian pleaded, "Do not go any further than this."

Ariel pouted. "C'mon, don't be a hard shell. There's a whole species of people flourishing up on land. How can you not be curious about their lives?"

"Simple," Sebastian said, "I like living under the sea and so do you."

Ariel rolled her eyes. "Never mind. You don't understand."

When she was about to begin to descent back into the heart of the ocean, she heard a loud commotion above her head. Her emerald eyes darted towards the surface, peering at the black mass gliding across edge. Ariel's mouth opened in awe.

"What is that?" she asked curiously, swimming quickly up to the surface, despite Sebastian's open protest.

Before she knew it, the black mass appeared before her eyes as she popped her head out of the water and into the fresh air. Ariel peered curiously at the object. A ship? She had never seen one up close before. A bulking majestic sight with vibrant color streaming across its skyline. Fireworks, were they called? They were the most beautiful things she had ever seen. She gasped in awe. There was more. A tingle played with her cheeks as a brisk of cold air blew across her hair. Wind, her first breeze in her lifetime. Droplets of water gliding off her shoulders; the first time she felt in all its glory.

The world was rewritten in Ariel's eyes.

"There you are," Sebastian said, gasping for his breath as he finally caught up to the reckless teenager. "Young lady, you are in trouble now. We have to go."

"Who's ship do you think that is?" Ariel asked, hypnotized by its bright lights.

"Ariel," Sebastian exclaimed, "You mustn't go near that ship."

Ariel, ignoring Sebastian, swam closer and closer to the ship's stern. She reached for the outline of the ship and pulled herself onto the edge of the deck, a front row seat to these peculiar human beings. As she gazed into the theatrics of the surface world, Ariel stared intensely at one man, centered by a bunch of land dwellers, congratulating him with an odd hand gesture.

"Eric," one of the men called out. "Happy 20th birthday, kiddo."

The young man with gleaming blue eyes and silky black hair turned around to face his friend. "Thanks, James," the man named Eric replied, "I'm sure we'll be celebrating your 25th soon enough."

The man scoffed. "Let's hope not. Festivities aren't really my thing."

With each passing moment, Ariel's head leaned closer and closer towards the inner decks, so close that she could've sworn that someone had seen a glimpse of her red hair. Ariel didn't care. She couldn't stop staring at Eric's beautiful face.

"Ariel, your father is going to be worried," Sebastian exclaimed. "He will tear the seas apart looking for you if you don't go back soon."

Knowing that Sebastian's words were far from an exaggeration, Ariel stole a peek at her dashing prince before diving back into the ocean once again. She knew one thing for certain: her heart no longer belonged to the sea.

* * *

"Shay," Smee exasperated.

"Huh?" Shay stammered; her eyes focused back in reality.

Smee pointed urgently at the man sitting in the corner booth of the bar. "That man is a customer. Go serve him."

"Ask Wendy or Dina," Shay objected. "They're your waitresses."

Smee drew his lips into a thin line. Shay looked at him in curiosity. He seemed almost scared of this man. Like disobeying a direct request of his would mean the termination of his life.

Shay shrugged. Hoping to avoid an argument with her boss, she grabbed a thick pad of order notes and made her way to the back of the bar. There, sat a rather peculiar man.

He was wearing a long leather coat and fanciful jewelry, dangling from his ear and fingers. The man's eyes were a thousand miles away, staring off into the horizon with those scheming blue-green pupils. He seemed dangerous, but when has Shay ever been the type to shy away from danger?

Shay approached the man. "Can I take your order?"

The man looked up at the redhead and smiled.

"Are you Ariel?"

Shay froze. Her heart stopped. Her brain went into overdrive as her mind panicked. Her green eyes fixed onto his face, discerning the hidden meaning behind those words. Was that a threat? A call to action? How did he know my real name? Nobody in Storybrooke knew (except my roommate Sebastian). But judging from his anachronistic clothing, the man was most certainly not from around here. And that could only mean one thing: trouble.

* * *

Back in the palace, Ariel knew it was only a matter of time before her father found out of her journey to the surface. The king absolutely despised all land-dwellers, illegalizing human contact from merfolk. After all, his wife did perish at the hands of pirates.

It was then no surprise to the mermaid when her father sought her presence in the throne room with the mere purpose of reprimanding her. As Ariel swam deftly into the large corridor, Triton sat waiting at the throne, his stormy gray eyes angrily flashing towards his disobedient daughter. She stood in her place, her hands at her side and fins on the ocean bed.

"Where were you last night, Ariel," the king asked accusingly.

Ariel knew this was a trick question. Whatever her answer was the king already knew the truth. Instead, she gave him a shrug.

"How could you go to the surface?" King Triton boomed. His commanding voice echoed through the halls of Atlantis as his daughter, the young Ariel, shrunk in her place.

Her eyes accusingly turned to the little crab crouched next to the king's throne, knowing that he was the one that old her father of her exploits at the surface. Sebastian also shirked back into his shell as the king's threatening voice sent shivers down their backs.

"Daddy, please understand," Ariel explained. "I want to see the world beyond the sea."

"You what?" Triton gasped.

"I…" Ariel started.

"You disobeyed me," Triton thundered as he slammed his golden trident on the floorbed of the sea. "Ariel, this has gone on long enough."

The king of the sea stood up from his throne and stood before his daughter, hovering close enough to witness her on the brink of tears.

"From now on, Sebastian will accompany you everywhere and shall report to me of your daily movement," Triton commanded, "It seems I have been too lenient with you in the past."

Ariel pouted her face in disapproval. "I don't need to be babysat."

"When you prove yourself to be worthy of independence once again, my daughter," Triton stated, "You shall have your freedom back. But until then, you will be treated as a child."

The redheaded mermaid bit back a few angry tears and fluttered away, the red crab following reluctantly behind her into the long tunnel of her own despair.

* * *

"What do you want?" Shay demanded, crossing her arms in a defensive pose.

The man clicked his tongue. "There's no need to worry, darling. I mean no harm."

Shay pursed her lips. "Like I haven't heard that before."

The man raised his eyebrow. "Trust me. I'm true to my word."

The young woman set the pad on the table and slid into the chair across from his. It seemed the proper thing to do since he obviously did not come here for the beer. Her eyes looked up and down at the mysterious man and his leather suit. Everything about him screamed trouble.

"You still haven't answered my question," Shay stated firmly. "What do you want?"

The man smirked. "What makes you think I want anything except your sweet company?"

Shay leaned in, her face inches away from the stranger's. She shot him her deadliest look. "If you know who I am, you wouldn't look me up for date night. You want something. Now cut the crap and tell me who you are."

"Killian Jones," he smiled.

Shay gritted her teeth.

"So you've heard of me," he proudly stated, acknowledging Shay's actions as distaste.

"You're a pirate," Shay muttered, glancing briefly at the silver hook resting on his left hand, "Figures."

"And you're a mermaid," Killian smiled, staring briefly at her curvy physique. "Quite the pair we make."

Shay crossed her arms. "So why are you here? Don't you have a life of thievery to tend to?"

Killian smirked. "You've got a sharp tongue, lass. Careful who you cut with that."

"Are you ever going to get to the point?" Shay urged.

The pirate stared at me intently. Shay felt overexposed in the presence of his distant eyes. The way he stared at Shay like an inspecting officer or a physician. It made her feel uncomfortable.

"I have a proposition for you," Killian said.

"I'm listening," Shay nodded, crossing her legs.

Killian leaned in, whispering his next words. He obviously wanted no one to hear of his treacherous plot.

"There are rumors of a dagger in Storybrooke: well-hidden from prying eyes. It is said that the dagger is the key to destroying the Dark One."

"Rumplestiltskin," Shay spoke with disdain. The one person Shay could possibly hate more than a cocky pirate.

"So you know of him," Killian smiled.

"Too much, I'm afraid," Shay stated grimly. "What do you want me to do about it?"

"Steal it," Killian simply said.

Shay let out a laugh. The pirate stared at her in query.

"You're a pirate," the young woman stated, "Go steal it yourself."

Killian paused. "It would seem that the job requires two parties. You, I'm assured, are a qualified candidate."

"No," Shay exclaimed. "This is Mr. Gold we're talking about. He has enough magic to rip us limb from limb without a second thought."

"You are the best thief in the town, aren't you?" the pirate asked with his eyebrows raised.

"It would take more than the best thief in Maine to steal from the Dark One."

Killian smirked. "Oh, but I believe I can make it worth your time."

He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a trinket. A golden pendant with a heart shaped locket dangling playfully at the edge. Shay's eyes stared hypnotically at it as it swung around Killian's hooked hand. The young girl hadn't seen that locket in many years; she thought she had lost it to the sea. She reached out to touch it but the pirate's hand retreated underneath the table.

"I don't think so, love," Killian smirked. "Do we have a deal?"

Shay pursed her lips. She wanted to snatch the necklace from his greedy palm, but, of course, she knew better than to steal from a pirate. It's been a long time since she had seen that necklace, felt its smooth gold against her palm. Shay bit her lower lip, knowing that she had allowed herself to be pushed into a corner.

"Deal," she muttered reluctantly.

* * *

"I can't stand it here anymore," Ariel exclaimed. "The ocean is suffocating me."

Sebastian rested on her shoulder as she complained about life as a princess, living under her father's restrictions, and the limited scenery that the ocean floor offers.

"You get that head of yours out of the clouds, girl," Sebastian ordered, "Your father is right. You belong down here with your sisters and mother."

Ariel scoffed as she blinked away some loose tears. "That sounds like a life sentence for first degree mer-slaughter."

She swam around in circles as Sebastian scurried across the currents to catch up with the young teenager. Luckily for him, her red head was a dead giveaway in a sea of blue.

"I wish there were some way to live on the surface with humans," Ariel sighed.

"Why?" Sebastian contended. "So you can meet that prince of yours? You don't even know him, Ariel."

"What's there to know?" she snapped. "He's handsome, smart, caring. And I doubt any eligible mermen can dance like he did."

"There's nothing you can do about it so you might as well forget it."

Ariel groaned. "I wish I could turn into a human."

"Ariel, don't do say that," Sebastian pleaded. "You belong in the ocean."

The young mermaid scrunched her face. She belongs in the ocean? How does anyone know where she truly belongs? She never belonged anywhere: not in the king's courts, not with her friends, not even with her sisters, who were only supportive of her quirks. Where else was she supposed to go if not the land?

"No, I don't. I belong up there," Ariel spat.

Sebastian shook his head. "Say what you like, but I know the truth. Mermaids belong to the sea."

Ariel scrunched up her face in resolute defiance. At that moment, Ariel couldn't take it anymore. The twisted family tree, her manipulative father, her blasé sisters, and especially her cruel stepmother. It was no longer a choice she had to make. It was a necessity. Eighteen years down in the waters was too long for her. She was ready to stand.

"Then I don't want to be a mermaid any longer," she muttered, swimming away into the vast open seas.

* * *

The pair took to the streets of town after their concluded deal. Shay could use some fresh air after being cornered and bribed back into a life of stealing and manipulation. Their surroundings were rather dull. Overcast skies with a touch of sea salt in the air. Seagulls flying above this all-forgotten seaboard town. The only noticeable flash of color was Hook and his silvery hook glistening in the light.

"Can't you put that thing away," Shay snapped impatiently at Hook. "It's drawing too much attention."

Killian rubbed his fingers against that ostentatious coathanger of his, smiling down at his new partner in crime.

"Any more attention grabbing than your luscious red hair, mermaid," Killian whispered as he lightly traced his fingers through a strand of her wavy hair.

"You know," Shay remarked as she flicked his hand away, "There's fine line between flirtation and sexual harassment."

Ignoring her comment, Hook proceeded on.

"So how does a lovely individual such as yourself end up as a common thief?" Hook asked, his hands teasing the golden locket before Shay's eyes.

She frowned. Not many people in Storybrooke knew of her rather notorious reputation for larceny. Even less knew of her dark past. As the heels of her shoes clicked against the concrete pavement of the gray walkway of the impossible town, the former mermaid pondered how to answer.

"I have to make a living somehow," Shay muttered with contempt. "Not that you'd understand. You steal for entertainment."

Killian smirked. He seemed to do that a lot.

"Why do you assume, darling?" the pirate retorted. "It's a dangerous thing to assume."

Shay rolled her eyes as they passed a couple of recognizable figures on the street. "It's not assuming if I know I'm right."

"The last I heard of you," Hook said, pointing his bejeweled finger at her neck, "Was 29 years ago when you were still a little mermaid."

The redhead narrowed her eyes. "How much do you know about me?"

Killian shrugged. "Not much. You're a creature that longed for land, traded your voice for legs, and married a prince. Lived a charmed life, I'm sure."

Relieved, Shay let out her breath. Besides the note of sarcasm in his remark, the pirate didn't know anything about her past life. Nothing of importance, that is. All he knew was the commercialized fairytale version that any child could see by picking up Disney's most prized movie.

"Well I guess you have all the answers then," Shay teased, her words layered with a sharp glass of disdain.

The pirate and the mermaid walked around the street until they arrived back at Shay's apartment. She needed to stop by before heading off into the sunset with the notorious pirate. Captain Hook. She'd heard of him before as much as he has heard of her. He was a heartless villain, a selfish man whose only interest was in himself. Essentially, Killian was what anybody would expect of him: a pirate. Shay just needed insurance to protect herself against such dangers. Being associated with a pirate was bad. Being double-crossed by one was worse. What has she gotten herself into?

The young woman pushed the front doors to her apartment wide open, the swaggering pirate following slowly behind her.

"Wait here," Shay commanded, scanning the complex for any signs of her roommate. Seeing as there was no one in the rooms, Shay proceeded to her bedroom, leaving the guest standing alone in the doorway.

She had to move fast before Hook stole something. Her hands grabbed everything she saw that seemed important. Cellphone, some rope, Swiss army knife.

Killian waited in the cramped living room where his blue-green eyes scoped Shay's living quarters. He rubbed his fingers against the mahogany walls, taking in the sight. The space was compact, with floors and walls lined with rich brown wooden panel. The entire place smelt of the ocean, possibly because of the young mermaid's aura. There were clothes and books strewn across the floor, bags of junk food scattered around the dining table. He smirked: it seemed the girl was more like a pirate than he'd thought.

"Shoes," Shay exclaimed, popping her head out of the darkened bedroom, "Have you seen a pair of shoes?"

Killian smirked, looking down at her feet. "Aren't you wearing shoes?"

Shay exasperated, "Different shoes."

The young girl shrunk back into her room, leaving Killian waiting impatiently in her living room. What could possibly be taking this girl so long? He sat down on the couch, popping his feet onto the junk-ridden table. He outstretched his arms along the edge of the loveseat, closing his eyes. As Shay shuffled through piles of clothing in her bedroom, Hook sat outside stealing some sweet relaxation, something he has had none of since his arrival in Storybrooke.

"Who are you?"

Hook stood up. A tall, lean figure hovered over him with fierce gray eyes and looming at the pirate disapprovingly.

"Where did you come from?" Hook demanded, reaching for his sword.

The blonde man crossed his arms and stared him down. The two's deadlock ceased as the young redhead emerged from her bedroom, dressed in a pigment of the night, her hair restraint in a tight ponytail. Her emerald eyes darted from her new associate to her roommate.

"What are you doing here, Sebastian?" Shay demanded, crossing her arms.

"I could ask him the same thing," Sebastian sneered at Hook. "Who is he?"

Killian opened his mouth to speak but Shay interjected.

"He's no one," Shay interrupted. "Nobody you need to worry about."

The pair were silent for a long time. Their eyes were locked in an implied battle of wits. Sebastian stared down his charge with great perseverance, but Shay refused to back down.

"What are you doing," Sebastian asked the redhead.

Shay stared at the ground.

Sebastian took one long look at the former mermaid. Dressed in all black, hair tied up, bag full of tools. He knew exactly what was going on.

"You're stealing again, aren't you," Shay's roommate accused.

Shay sighed. "It's just something I have to do."

"Something you have to do," Sebastian scoffed. "Do you hear yourself? You're better than this, Ariel."

Shay shook her head. She wasn't going to take this.

"Ariel's dead, Sebastian," Shay gritted. "Whether you like it or not, the mermaid you knew is dead. I'm not Ariel anymore."

Sebastian stared, with his stirring pupils, at the girl he both knew so well and hardly knew. Her green eyes and red hair were distinctly a part of the old Ariel, but everything else about her was gone. She died _that_ day. Sebastian knew it and so did Shay.

"I'm leaving," Shay stated. "I'll be back late."

She marched out of the apartment, leaving a trail of nostalgia behind her. The old crab stood alone in the living room, disheartened and disgruntled, watching the past close its door before his eyes.

* * *

"Where are you taking me, pirate?" Shay demanded, walking along the forest beds of Storybrooke.

"Some place where no one will stumble upon us," Killian grinned, "In case you wanted me to yourself."

Shay rolled her eyes and continued on. She knew better than to retort to Hook.

"So what was that with your roommate," Hook asked quizzically.

Shay paused to catch her breath. She stood hugging a neighboring tree as the young girl stood on a steep hill in the woods of the unknown.

"What's it to you," Shay said.

Hook grinned. "Curiosity."

"Why would you care," Shay spat. "You're a pirate."

Killian smirked, digging his hooked hand into the bark of a large grandfather tree. "Are we done making assumptions today, love?"

Shay opened her mouth to reply but she had nothing. Few people managed to steal the last words away from her mouth and the pirate was one of them.

"Can't blame you for assuming, I guess," Hook smiled. "The pirate image is a dead giveaway after all."

"So are you saying all my assumptions are right?" Shay mimicked Killian's smirk.

He flashed her a mysterious look and continued onwards. Shay groaned, reluctantly following behind him. They climbed further for more than a mile, until they were deep into the heart of the forest where nobody would dare disturb them.

"We're here."

Shay scanned her surroundings. It was the middle of nowhere.

"What's here that was important enough to drag me from the bar?" Shay asked, crossing her arms in defiance.

"Like I said," Hook smirked. "Privacy."

Killian sat down on the floor of the dense forest, where Shay's only thought was that nobody would hear her if she screamed for help. Was this the end? After all that she has been through, was she destined to die by the hands of a pirate?

"Are you going to sit down?" Hook asked. "Or do you prefer to tire yourself before the real work begins?"

Shay held her lips in a thin line as she scooted up next to the pirate, reading from what looked like torn pages from the Storybrooke Library. The young woman stole a glance at the ancient pages strewn with written across its thin parcel. Legends of the Dark Ones dagger across history. There were myths from the Egyptian civilization, the Roman Empire, even pictures from the Paleolithic Era. He may be a flippant flirt, but Shay couldn't deny that Killian was a decent tracker.

"There's nothing within these pages about the dagger's whereabouts," Killian muttered.

"Of course there wouldn't be," Shay exclaimed, grabbing the thin pages from Killian's rough hands, "These are historical documents. You're not going to be able to locate a dagger in present day with directions written two thousand years ago."

"Well," Hook sighed, "Where do you suggest we start?"

"Gold's Pawn Shop," Shay nodded, flipping through the pages.

"Do you think the man would be daft enough to hide his own fatal undoing in his shop?" Hook asked skeptically.

"No," Shay answered, "But we could find something that would lead us to where the dagger is. It's our best shot."

Killian smirked.

Shay looked up and frowned. "What?"

Hook simply leaned into her face until his hot breath was felt against her cheek. "If I didn't know any better, I would say you're enjoying this," he whispered.

Shay rolled her eyes. "You _don't_ know any better."

Killian chuckled. "My dear mermaid, you have a heart as cold as ice."

"Did you expect anything less?" Shay retorted, finally getting the last word she sought so desperately.

The two then sat in silence, plotting their ambush to Mr. Gold's Shop meticulously. This was the first Shay had ever heard of a dagger that could kill the Dark One. At first, seemed almost impossible to believe. Even now, it was more of a tall tale than a reality. But who was she to question the man who held her golden heart in his hands.

"So why do you want this dagger anyway?" Shay asked curiously.

Killian smiled. "Like you said, I'm a pirate. Another valuable possession, eh?"

Shay shook her head. "No, it's more than that."

Silence fell onto the forest. There was nothing except the noise of winds rustling the leaves of masses of trees above their heads. The air echoed with the sound of utter awkwardness as Shay confirmed that her inference was correct.

"Observant, are we?" Killian nodded.

Shay raised her eyebrows, waiting for an explanation.

"I can't help you if I don't know the whole story, Hook," she said firmly.

"Tell me, darling," the pirate said, "Would you willing to tell me your story? How you got here? The deaths you've seen? The people you killed?"

Shay remained silent.

Killian nodded. "That's what I thought."

* * *

It took her a while before she arrived to the surface. When her red head breathed the fresh air of the land, the night had risen and the surface was shrouded with darkness. Ariel drifted gradually along the banks of the stream, searching for a private area to find the magician. The magician that could turn her human.

The town was new and vibrant with light. It was a city not far from where Ariel saw Prince Eric's ship last night. Townspeople gathered in celebration, drinking alcohol from bottles of glass and throwing their arms up in glee. It certainly was a different culture from Atlantis.

There was a man near the edge of the bar that shamelessly flirted with a group of women sitting on the banks of the river, their long blonde hairs beckoning him to come hither. Ariel giggled at the sight of the man earning a well-deserved slap on the face and walking away in shame. Some things don't change. It was a whole new world up on the surface. A world, she hoped, would become hers one day.

Eventually, after reaching the outskirts of town, Ariel found a safe haven to call upon the help she sought so desperately. It was a secluded pond with abandoned bridges and empty houses. The town itself seemed like a ghost-ridden village haunted by memories long past.

Ariel, determined to finish the journey she set out for, shut her eyes and muttered his name under her breath.

"Rumplestiltskin," she said. "I summon thee."

For a second, there was complete silence. Ariel's heart dropped in hopeless despair. He was her last hope. Given up on her foolish antics, Ariel was about to turn back and head home. Until a shrill laughter filled the echoes of silence.

"You asked for me?" said a high-pitched voice.

Ariel quickly turned around. In front of her, on the decrepit docks, stood a ghastly man with sickly yellow skin and large fish-like eyes. He passed off a measly smile as Ariel grimaced uncomfortably. Thank heavens for the darkness: for what else could conceal her rude disdain for the appearance of the one man who could save her.

"Are you Rumplestiltskin?" Ariel asked, placing one hand along the edge of the docks.

He giggled once again. "My reputation precedes me. What can I do for you?"

Ariel gulped. "They say you can wield magic even sirens cannot manage."

"All true," the Dark One smiled. "What is it you would like me to do?"

The young mermaid's heart stopped. "Can you turn me human?"

Rumplestiltskin peered at the little mermaid, eyeing her from her red hair to her green eyes. Ariel shrunk back into the water, trying to avoid his uncomfortable glare. He let out a cruel smile.

"Perhaps," he said, pacing the docks. "But remember, dearie, magic always comes with a price. What are you willing to pay?"

"Anything," Ariel whispered.

Rumplestiltskin's smile widened. "Now we're talking."

He leaned down on one knee, his large reptilian eyes staring directly into Ariel's pure emerald pupils. His scaly skin was inches away from her nose; the smell of dark magic overpowered her.

"The spell is simple enough," Rumplestiltskin explained. "I can easily turn you into a human. Trust me, you aren't the first mermaid that wanted out."

"But there's a catch," Ariel finished.

He grinned. "Isn't there always? I want something very precious to you. Something I'm sure you hold most dear."

Ariel stared at him intensely. She feared what Rumplestiltskin wanted from her. But in her mind, she knew she had no choice but to ask.

"What is it?"

The man revealed his yellow-stained teeth in an uneasy smile. "Why, your voice."

Ariel gasped. Her fingers moved to touch her throat, the chamber that held the one thing precious to all mermaids and sirens alike. The one thing that made them who they are. Their song. All complex sea creatures are capable of beautiful singing, unparalleled harmony that enchanted sailors to sleep and enticed princes to their dreams. Taking away a mermaid's voice would be like stripping away her life.

"Well," Rumplestiltskin asked. "Have you made your decision yet? I'm a busy man. I haven't got all day."

She clenched her jaw. Her fists were balled up so tight that the whites of her knuckles began to show. Ariel, for the first time in her first, was scared. But that's only because she had already made her decision. She made her decision the moment she set her eyes on that ship.

"It's a deal," Ariel said.

Rumplestiltskin snapped his fingers and in a flash he disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke. Ariel felt a sharp pain in her lungs, like her entire throat was being set on fire. She gasped for air but the only thing that came in was the burning scent of smoke. When the pain stopped, she sighed in deep relief. The mermaid tried to open her mouth to shout for the Dark One but nothing came out. She coughed and tried again. Still no noise. Her voice was gone.

Ariel burst out in fury, enacting the worst curse words she knew onto the Dark One, hoping that one would hurt him as much as he had hurt her. But before she could even manage one insult, she looked down. There, replacing her elegant tail, was a pair of long human legs, glistening against the water.

* * *

Shay glanced desperately at Hook's back pocket, noticing the outline of the heart locket he held at the bottom of his leather pants. That was where the pirate kept his bargaining chip. If only she could reach down and grab it, she would be free to uphold her end of the deal.

But obviously her intentions were misconstrued.

Killian, noticing her clandestine stares, jokingly offered to give her a good look once their work was done. Shay responded with an eye glare and silence.

Their walk to the pawn shop seemed endless, with Killian's rambling speech filling her eardrums and allowing no peace or quiet to slip through. The anxiety of facing Rumplestiltskin was enough to shock Shay's nerves, but to have a pirate chatter incessantly into her ear was torture. Did the man ever stop talking? Although Shay only knew him for the past hour, the pirate made it apparent that she was to endlessly on replay until their business was done. Finding Rumplestiltskin would almost be worth it if she could convince him to silence Hook.

"Tell me, darling. What is that strange vehicle," Hook asked, pointing his good hand at the automobile passing by.

"A car," Shay said in an exasperated tone.

" And what of that?"

"A stop sign."

"And this?"

"That's a window."

"What about this?"

Shay snapped, "Why don't we be quiet for a few minutes? Do you think you can do that, Hook?"

Hook raised his eyebrow. His silence lasted for a mere minute before his mouth opened once again.

"So what's so significant about this locket?" Killian narrowed his eyes onto Shay's body. Her shoulders tensed slightly at the mention of the golden locket.

"Sharing time's over, Hook," Shay retorted, "You made that very clear."

Another silence fell onto the pair.

"Why do you dislike me so?" Hook smirked.

Shay scoffed in disbelief. "Just because a woman doesn't flirt with you, you assume that she hates you."

"Am I wrong?"

Shay paused. "Not quite. I just prefer not to talk to you."

Killian smirked. "Because you're in love with someone else?"

Shay paused for a few seconds. She was rendered speechless.

"What makes you say that," she exclaimed.

Killian shrugged, his eyes wandering off to the sights of the city while Shay pinned her pupils on him.

"The distant looks, impressionable young girl, the necklace," Hook listed. "For a mysterious creature of the sea, you're quite predictable."

Shay paused. What was she supposed to answer with? The truth? Unlikely since the pirate seemed to know little of love. She was hopelessly in love once. But she was already convinced that love was a myth, that true love was the worst curse any mortal being could endure. For as long as there was death, true love was never everlasting.

"No," Shay muttered to herself, "I'm not in love. Not anymore."


	2. The Beginning - Part 2

It was strange, walking. Legs were so feeble. One wrong step and humans could easily topple to the ground. But the intrigue and mysterious nature of the surface world was at Ariel's fingertips. Who was she to complain about a few minor details?

It took her hours before she managed to climb onto the docks and walk properly. And it took her hours more to find someone mad enough to take a distraught, disoriented girl to the marketplace. But eventually she learned.

Upon arrival, she paced around the center of town, staring in awe at the traders and buyers and wives and children all going about their daily routine. They exchanged a certain amount of produce with little gold and silver coins. And when they didn't have enough, they couldn't buy it.

_So strange_, Ariel thought to herself.

The sights were beautiful. Colorful shades of clothing, the tall mudbricks of buildings, the smell of fresh salt filling the seaboard town. There was a horde of people wandering from right to left, picking up handful of fruits and buckets of fish. It was surreal. She was living inside her own dream.

Ariel walked clumsily over to the fruit cart where a rotund man was selling fruits by the barrel. The young girl picked up a ruby red apple from one of the carts and stared at it for a long while. She had never seen anything so lush and so red before. Its exterior was smooth and glossy, shining in the midafternoon sun like a ruby in a sunken treasure chest.

She pointed to the apple and then back at the man.

The man smiled kindly. "No charge."

Ariel let out a wide smile, nodding towards the man, as she no longer could thank him with her words. Slowly, she bit into the fruit, tasting the sweet juice seeping through the skin of the apple. Ariel had never tasted something like this before. She licked her lips and took another bite.

Her focus became so involved in the delicious fruit that Ariel failed to see the incoming carriage. When her emerald green eyes looked up from her half-bitten apple, it was too late. The carriage was spinning out of control, the horses galloping uncontrollably towards her. She was paralyzed. She stood there frozen in absolute fear as the impending carriage awaited to crush her.

However, in a brisk movement, Ariel was pushed aside, fatefully dodging the bullet. When the carriage was inches away from her face, a pair of strong arms grabbed her from the middle of the street and threw her to safety. She collapsed on the ground as the carriage crashed into a neighboring fish stand, splattering poultry on the people most close.

Ariel rubbed her forehead as she opened her eyes and observed her surroundings. She hadn't the faintest idea what has just occurred.

She turned and faced her rescuer, gradually pushing himself off the ground and rising to his feet. Her eyes widened, immediately recognizing his face.

"Are you okay," Prince Eric asked, smiling down at her, those deep blue eyes staring directly into her soul.

Ariel gulped. It was him. She couldn't manage any words, just a simple nod.

Eric helped her off the ground, pulling her to safety. Local buyers, in their surroundings, were bickering about the mess, as the prince's only concern was the damsel that he had saved.

"Can you walk?" Eric asked, placing his strong hands around her waist in case Ariel was disoriented from the accident.

Ariel nodded again. She tried in vain to make out a few words, forgetting for a second that her voice was lost.

Eric frowned. "You can't talk, can you?"

She shook her head. Ariel must've looked like a complete disaster, at least she assumed so, or else Eric wouldn't have said the next few words that would change her life forever.

"We'd better get you cleaned up," Eric smiled. "I'll take you back to my castle."

* * *

"So what's the plan, captain?" Shay said next to Killian, facing Gold's Pawn Shop with utter disdain. They had finally arrived at their destination, a fact that Shay was pleased to hear. The sooner she got this over with, the sooner she could get back to her life.

Killian smiled. "I have a few ideas."

The pirate and the mermaid strolled to the back of the shop. There stood a backdoor into the pawnshop where they saw no signs of Rumplestiltskin. They coast was clear and more than half was left for the mission.

"After you, my dear," Hook said, motioning his hand towards the door.

Slowly, the pair pushed open the doors and slipped in. The pungent smell of antique books and candle wax filled Shay with tears. She pushed onwards, pretending not to notice the pirate swiftly smuggling a polished gold trinket into his pocket along with her locket.

The first thing her eyes were drawn to was dainty little teacup lying on the cashier. Strange: that chipped cup looked oddly familiar. Her eyes darted around in panic as she consciously watched her surroundings for any signs of black magic or him. Neither was in sight. She paced gradually around the store, looking at all the antiquities that were on display in perfect presentation. A pair of puppets lying off to the side. A windmill stashed in the front. A collection of silver placed along the shop window. Shay sighed. With this much in his shop, it would take days before they ever found something that led to the dagger.

They wandered aimlessly around the shop. Shay turned to Hook, shooting him a frustrated look. _What do we do now, _she mouthed to him.

He shrugged.

They needed something to show for a day's work. The dagger was obviously out of reach, even for a well-bred thief and a masterful pirate. But it didn't stop them from trying to look. Shay flipped over sheets of aged papyrus and dry paintbrushes in search of Stiltskin's most dear belongings. Hook tore down the treasure trunks and cabinets looking for his crocodile's weakness. They searched for what felt like hours with no luck.

Suddenly, the pair was dead silent. They heard the faint ding of the bell as footsteps neared the backroom of the pawnshop. Rumplestiltskin was back.

Shay's green eyes flashed a look of distress to Hook. His face hardened as he felt the presence of a most hated enemy return into his life. They had to think fast.

Shay signaled Killian to get out of the shop before he was discovered. The pirate remained there in a stone-like persistence, staring angrily at the man who took everything from him. It didn't look like he was going to be much help.

"Killian," Shay whispered sharply. "We have to get out of here."

No response. Shay rolled her eyes. Typical.

Before considering the consequences, the young woman rushed out of the backroom, leaving the pirate standing there alone. The horrendous smell of candle was replaced by the irrational fear of darkness. She walked out into the open where Mr. Gold's back was turned to her, fumbling around with some antiquities along the counter. She took a deep breath and coughed ever so slightly. Gold's head turned around and smiled. It was the same smile Shay remembered so long ago.

"Well isn't this a lovely surprise."

The man stood firm, still, and dangerous. She held her composure but inside, she was screaming.

"It's a small town," Shay managed to utter, "We were bound to meet eventually."

Mr. Gold stood motionlessly in front of the cashier register, with his cane and arms outstretched towards her. Shay slowly backed away from him, an action that brought a smile to the man's lips. She was scared of him. Good. Nice to see that some things don't change.

"What can I do for you, Miss Winters," Mr. Gold smiled. "Or do you prefer Ariel?"

Shay had to think quickly. She hadn't planned that far ahead in their plot to foil Rumplestiltskin. She needed a lie, a damn good one.

"Bring him back," Shay said firmly.

Mr. Gold's smile faded. "What?"

"You heard me," Shay articulated, "Bring him back."

The owner shook his head in disbelief. "After all this time, haven't you learned? Dead is dead, dearie. There's no cheating it."

"So find a way," Shay gritted. "I don't care if you have to kill everybody in town to save him. Just do it."

Mr. Gold made a disapproving sound from his mouth. "Don't you think it's about time to accept Eric's death? It has been 29 years."

"It's your fault he's dead," Shay exclaimed. "If it wasn't for you…"

Rumplestiltskin smirked, limping past the counter. "If it wasn't for me, you would still be a mute. Be glad I even gave you back your voice."

Shay stood there. Her eyes were glued to the Dark One as he paced towards the entrance in a semicircle manner, as if attempting to block any means of escape. She had no clue what she was trying to accomplish with this. The young girl was aware that this would happen: her anger and frustration getting the best of her. It was the first time she saw Gold since that day and Shay knew her emotions would get the better of her.

"You don't know what it's like," Shay muttered with contempt, "To lose someone that you loved."

Mr. Gold's nostril flared. "Oh, I don't know?"

"He's gone, Gold," she screamed at him. "He's not coming back."

Shay, of course, was stalling. But the hot tears streaming out of the corner of her eyes were as true as the sky was blue.

Those hidden feelings, buried emotions came flooding into the surface. Shay's emerald green pupils streamed with tears. Her mouth quivered uncontrollably. Her fists were clenched tight at her waist. Mr. Gold stared at her with cold and distant eyes: Shay was convinced he knew nothing of love and never would.

Before she could throw another word at the pawnshop owner, the front doors swung open. Shay wiped away a few loose tears and looked straight ahead behind Gold. There, stood a young brunette with dazzling blue eyes and an innocent smile. She carried a few books in her hand, her smile wearing thin as she saw the intruder in her beloved's shop.

"Who are you," the girl asked.

Shay stared straight ahead. Mr. Gold cleared his throat.

"She's nobody," he muttered. "Just another customer."

Not willing to back down from a fight, Shay opened her mouth to speak again. But then she saw Killian appear from outside the store window, waving at her to come out. Her work here was done.

_Live to fight another day_ Shay justified as she wiped away some stray tears and marched out of the pawnshop, her eyes puffy and her nose red. The smell of fresh air filled her lungs but her clogged windpipes were blocked any normal patterns of breathing.

Shay raced far enough down the block before stopping; she didn't want the pirate to see her so weak and vulnerable. Not that it did any help. Killian, trailing behind her, wore an expressionless look on his face when he faced his accomplice. No matter how far they walked, he could smell the scent of despair radiating off the girl.

"Did you find anything," Shay demanded, refusing to look him in the eye.

He paused for a split second before answering. "There was nothing in the shop. He keeps his secrets well-hidden."

"All that in vain," Shay shook her head, wiping her soaked cheeks with the back of her hand.

Killian opened his mouth. Shay didn't know what he was going to say because she cut him off before he could say it.

"I'm fine," she snapped, before walking off into the alleyway.

Hook seemed genuinely concerned for her, possibly because he saw a part of him in the mermaid. The pain of loss, the anger towards the Dark One, the absolute hatred and burning thirst hidden well away from those who don't understand. He learned over the years to control that anger, to let others see only what he'd let them see. Shay, being relatively new at tragedy, hasn't figured out the secret yet.

For what they felt, the loss of their true love, the pain never stops.

* * *

She would be lying if she said she didn't miss it. Even on the happiest day of her life, Ariel's mind still wandered back to her first love. The faint ripples, the playful waters. The sea was, is, and always will be her home.

But she had in fact found a new love. Her true love. The ocean was a faint memory compared to what she felt right now, interlocked in Eric's arms as the two paced down the soft bed of sand, the waves cascading around their feet. The prince stared lovingly into the eyes of the mermaid, her billowing auburn hair contrasted against the virescent eyes. She was the most beautiful creature he had ever laid eyes on. And now, she was his wife.

"I love you," Prince Eric whispered in her ear.

Ariel shut her eyes and mouthed "I love you" back to her prince. If she shut her eyes, she could pretend not to see her prince's pained reaction to every moment she opens her mouth. Ariel knew he meant no disrespect when he grimaced at her stifled voice. Eric merely felt the same suffering she felt, her inability to talk and sing and laugh. He couldn't bear the pain that she felt.

But tonight was her wedding night. Ariel cared not for silly trivialities such as her voice. All she wanted was to feel Eric's arms around her waist, never letting her go.

It seemed like a distant memory that first day they met. Eric brought the strange girl back to his castle where the maids cleaned and clothed her. When she was presentable once again, Eric attempted to figure out where she came from. No such luck. Seeing no other option, the generous prince asked her to stay with him for the time being.

Gossip spread around the kingdom faster than the winds. Soon enough, every fisherman and trader knew of the prince's charity case. But none knew of his growing love and fondness for the beauty each passing day.

The pair was inseparable; whenever either was seen outside of the castle, one was accompanying the other. Every jealous suitor of Eric's knew of the truth: her exploits were hopeless in light of Ariel's beauty. It was then that they fell in love.

And now, Ariel married her prince charming, living the dream that only young girls long for their whole lives.

She smiled up at her handsome new husband. Tiptoeing off the grounds of the sand and slowly planted a kiss on his mouth. The smell of the salty air engulfed the pair. Eric ran his hands through her burning red hair, for a second forgetting her pain, forgetting even his name. The little mermaid seemed to have that effect on him.

It didn't matter. He need no pester her about it any longer for he had already devised a plan. A plan to restore Ariel's voice.

* * *

The night had befallen the town. It was late into the hours of darkness. Everybody in Storybrooke was sound asleep, dreaming of his or her old homes or true loves. Save for two thieves stalking the dark like predators in the shadows.

Killian and Shay crept around the corner into the backroom of Mr. Gold's pawnshop. The young woman pressed her fingers across her lips, reminding Hook that this was no place to open that big mouth of his. He shrugged it off.

Deftly, she pulled out a bobby pin from the back of her ear and slipped it into the keyhole. Hook scrutinized the girl's quick and sly movements as she picked the lock of the most dangerous man in town. Even in the height of her pain, she had guts; even Hook couldn't deny that. When they both heard the click of the doorknob, Shay rose to her feet, brushing the dirt off her black pants. She pushed open the backroom doors to the pawnshop, slipping through the entrance, the pirate following closely behind. The backroom was left in the same state in which the two had seen it earlier that day. Everything was still in place and no sign of the dagger anywhere.

Shay continued tearing the room apart while the pirate glided into the front head of the shop, swiftly moving around in the darkness with the movement of his dark cape.

As she fumbled through a pile of old worn-out books, Shay caught something through the edge of her piercing green eyes. It was that cup, the chipped one she saw earlier that day. She furrowed her eyebrows as she stroked her fingers along its blue lining. Why was this cup so familiar? She couldn't fathom how she could have any connection to silverware that Rumplestiltskin would own. Curious of its origins, Shay slyly pocketed the chipping cup while Killian was out of sight. She continued searching the confines of the backroom but found that her mind wandered back to the dainty cup.

"Psh."

Shay looked up. Killian had popped his head around the backroom and waved his hand around to get her attention.

"What?" Shay mouthed back to him.

"I found something," he hissed. "Come see."

Shay dropped the pile of antique books back onto the table where she found them and quietly crept towards the front of the room. Her eyes peered around the shop. Everything seemed in perfect formation as seen earlier that day. Except the front. Killian nodded his head at the place the wall head that now revealed a safety deposit box, hidden behind a painting of sunflowers. Shay kicked herself in the knee for not thinking of it beforehand. Of course there would be a safety deposit box.

"Can you open it?" Hook whispered.

Shay let herself indulge in a pirate-like vice and smirked. "Who do you think you're talking to?"

She pulled her red hair behind her ears and pressed her head against the safe. Swiveling around the combination lock, Shay listened intently for the faint sound of clicks at each turn. Click. The first number was found. She twisted the other direction slowly, shutting her eyes for maximum concentration. Click. There goes another one. The last one was always the most difficult. Her breathing slowed and her hands began to sweat. She hadn't done this for such a long time; how can she be so sure she could do it? Click.

The safe's doors swung open.

Killian raised his eyebrows in surprise. "I underestimated you."

"Most people do," Shay whispered back, peering into the darkened box.

In one glance, there were many things that could've been stolen that would've sparked Gold's anger in a myriad of creative ways.

However, she barely had enough time to examine Mr. Gold's valuable possessions before the pirate immediately grabbed what seemed like the least valuable of all his jewels and treasures. It was a raggedy old shawl, covered in dust. He seemed like he recognized the cloth, never a good sign when discovered in Mr. Gold's shop.

Killian nodded at the young girl, shutting the doors of the safe, as if to say that their work was done here.

Shay furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. Her eyes seem to spark inquiry at the pirate as he strolled towards the backroom and towards the exit. Shay ran quickly behind, one hand curled around the chipped cup and another clenched in a fist, prepared to pummel that reckless and irrational pirate.

* * *

"Rumplestiltskin."

Prince Eric stood firmly at the abandoned sea town where Ariel met the Dark One many months ago. His depthless blue eyes searched anxiously for the darkened magician to appear in hopes that his wishes for his wife would be granted. Though he merely waited for a few seconds, his mind cursed it to feel like hours. But eventually, he arrived.

"How lovely," said a high-pitched voice. "I don't think I've ever had the honor."

Eric swiveled around and faced a yellow-skinned creature facing him with reptilian eyes staring at him intensely. He bit back his common sense telling him to run far away from this place and gulped.

"My name is Eric," the young prince articulated carefully.

"There's no need," Rumplestiltskin smirked. "I know exactly who you are."

Eric swallowed. "You do?"

"Why, of course," the Dark One stated. "After all, your dearly beloved and I go way back."

Eric stood very still but even his motionless stance couldn't conceal his utter fear for the most dangerous man in Fairytale Land. Rumplestiltskin smiled cruelly at the man.

"That is why you're here, isn't it," the Dark One remarked. "For that mermaid."

"I want a trade for her voice," Eric stuttered quickly. The words left his mouth before he could devise an elaborate plan to deceive his opponent.

The Dark One, however, simply giggled. "I knew this day would come. It was bound to happen, _Prince_ Eric. You were bound to fall in love with her."

"Will you do it," Eric said, ignoring the man's last comments.

The Dark One paced around the statue of Eric, rubbing the soft spot on his chin.

"What would I get in return?" Rumplestiltskin asked. "You can't trade something for nothing, dearie."

"I'll give you anything," Eric spouted desperately. "Please, just give Ariel her voice back."

Rumplestiltskin paused mid-step. He cracked a triumphant smile that he had been waiting for for the last year.

"Anything?" the Dark One remarked. "I like the sound of that."

* * *

The pair of thieves rushed back to Smee's bar where Shay unlocked the door quickly and quietly before the neighbors were woken by their raucous.

"Go," she urged, shoving the pirate into the front doors of the closed bar.

Hook let out an "umph" sound before being shoved into a pitch-black saloon while Shay locked the doors behind her as she slipped into her workspace. She quickly flicked on all the light switches, illuminating the dirty confines of the rusty old bar that she worked. She sighed. It seemed that this was now the only place she could hide.

"Well, Little Mermaid," the pirate smirked. "This is call for celebration."

"Which part?" Shay remarked sarcastically, "The fact that we never find the dagger or that the only thing we have to show for today is a worn-out napkin."

Hook shrugged. "It's more than a napkin, love."

Shay crossed her arms. "Do tell."

The pirate's eyes darted around the bar. "First I need a drink."

The young woman rolled her eyes. She slipped around the back of the counter and grabbed a couple of beers from the refrigerator and slamming it down in front of Killian's wry grin.

"Talk," Shay demanded.

The pirate took a sip from the glass container before making a disgusted face. "What the hell is this? This isn't rum!"

"No, but it's the next best thing," Shay nodded. "What's the shawl got to do with the Dark One?"

"It's his son's," Hook explained, sipping more of the beer.

Shay spread the shawl out across the counter, running her fingers through the soft fabric of the cloth that used to belong to Rumplestiltskin's son.

"I never took him for the fatherly type," Shay muttered.

"I can guarantee," Hook stated in an as-a-matter-a-fact tone, "That crocodile values this rag more than any other trinket in his entire collection."

"What makes you so sure?" Shay asked curiously.

Hook cracked a crooked smirk. "Reasons."

The bar was silent. There were crickets chirping outside as the nighttime air filled the bar with dreary looks of a day-well spent. Shay wiped down the counter as the pirate sat at the stool, sipping a foreign drink and scrutinizing the young bartender's every move.

"As much as I enjoy discussing Rumplestiltskin," Killian smirked, 'I'd much rather talk about you."

Shay paused. "What's there to talk about?"

Hook gazed at the broken girl of nineteen. Her steel wall did wonders for her apathy but he knew better than to trust common appearances.

"Today, at the shop," the pirate remarked.

"That was brilliant acting," Shay smirked. "As I pirate, I suspect you should know a thing or two about it."

"As a pirate," Hook narrowed his eyes, "I can tell the difference between deception and truth."

Shay pursed her lips and looked down. She remained utterly silent, not that it surprised the pirate. He rarely talked about what happened to him so many years ago. He can imagine the pain that the girl kept well hidden underneath a cold exterior. Hook sighed, knowing that you can't get information without giving.

"Her name was Milah," he said, playfully stroking the edge of his icy cool beer bottle. "She was the Dark One's wife."

"Let me guess," Shay smiled. "First mate?"

Killian smiled nostalgically. "Something like that."

Shay threw the towel rag to the side and crossed her arms. "What happened?"

Killian stared at the hole in the wall behind Shay's head. "She was killed."

"By Rumplestiltskin," Shay finished.

"He tore her heart out like it was nothing," he angrily seethed through his mouth. "Like he didn't care that he was taking her away from me."

Shay blinked her eyes, trying to prevent any tears from sneaking onto her face. As much as she didn't want to admit it, Hook was more similar to her than she'd like.

"That man left me with a nothing but hate in my life," Hook gritted, his eyes nearing a dangerous shade of blue. "Now he will suffer the same fate."

Shay scoffed to herself. "Vengeance."

"Justice," Killian corrected.

"Listen, Hook," Shay shook her head. "Revenge isn't going to help you make peace with what happened."

Killian's smirk returned onto his face. "Is this your personal insight, love, or just another act?"

Shay sighed. It seemed only fair, now that Hook revealed his tale. She sat onto the countertop of the bar and stared down into her beer bottle. The reflection of herself in the drink referred her back to that day that she regretted so much. So much that she still blames herself for everything to this very moment.

* * *

Ariel smiled warmly as she saw her prince return to the castle. It had been hours since Eric mysteriously disappeared from the castle and she had begun to worry. Never had he left for such a long time and never returned.

She embraced her tightly as he wrapped his strong arms around her waist. It wasn't like him to disappear off into the night and Ariel had the most uncomfortable feeling that something was wrong.

She flashed him a look that seemed to say "Where were you? I was worried."

"I was out," Eric smiled.

"Where," she mouthed towards him.

"The outskirts of town," he said. "Ariel, I have something for you."

Ariel shot him a look of skepticism.

"Close your eyes," he whispered.

The young girl bit her lower lip and did as she was told. She heard her prince rustle around his coat pockets as he searched for something. The young girl tapped her feet impatiently, a habit she never seemed to be able to break. When she opened her eyes, Eric held in his hands something she thought she'd never see again.

Her eyes opened in wide shock. It was her voice. She'd recognize her voice anywhere. It was encased in a compact seashell, radiating a melody of the sea to any neighboring ears. She wavered her eyes from the seashell to Eric.

"What did you do?" Ariel mouthed.

"I went to Rumplestiltskin," Eric explained. "He agreed to give you back your voice."

Ariel frowned. "For what price?"

"It doesn't matter," her prince shook his head. "Here."

Eric placed the seashell into Ariel's smooth palm. She stared at it for a long time before crushing it through her fingers. The young mermaid felt her silky voice slip around her skin, slithering across her arm. She could feel the warmth of its song embrace her once again. Ariel opened her mouth and once again, a harmonious voice appeared.

"Eric." Ariel said her first words in a long while, the name of her true love.

The man was stunned. He had never heard his wife speak before today. Eric was practically down in tears as Ariel laughed mellifluously, a hauntingly beautiful noise that echoed in Eric's mind forever.

"I love you," Ariel smiled. "Always and forever."

The prince embraced her tightly, running his fingers through her silky red hair. Everything about Ariel was perfect now. They could live happily ever after.

"Well how sweet?"

Ariel looked up in terror of that voice. Rumplestiltskin stood in their castle, his arms arched at his hips and eyes staring straight at the mermaid and her prince. Eric's grip around Ariel tightened as he saw the dark magician return.

"What are you doing here?" Ariel demanded. "Leave, now!"

The Dark One feigned offense at the mermaid's caustic remarks. "How rude. I believe only the owner of the home is allowed to evict unwanted guests."

"Owner?" Ariel muttered, turning to Eric. "What is he talking about?"

Rumplestiltskin magically appeared before Ariel's eyes in a flash of purple smoke. "Your darling prince traded his kingdom for you voice, dearie."

Ariel gasped. "No."

The Dark One giggled. "Oh, it's quite true, dearie. Now, I believe you two have outstayed your welcome."

Suddenly, the pair of lovers felt themselves thrust by an invisible hand. They resisted as much as they could but at that particular moment, Ariel wasn't feeling particularly strong. The magic overpowered them and they were thrown out the windows of the castle, pummeling to the depths of the sea, hopeless and in despair.

Ariel was the first to impact the light waves caressing the bedrock of the castle. Rumplestiltskin's castle, now. She swallowed a gulp of the seawater as she kept her head level to the surface. Eric swam around frantically in search of his love.

"Ariel," he shouted.

"I'm here," she gasped out, still in shock.

Eric reached for her. The young mermaid simply stared at him with empty glares.

"You traded your kingdom?" she whispered.

Eric smiled faintly. It was an odd sight to see: two figures floating aimlessly in the water with nowhere else to go. The young prince placed his arms on the girl's shoulder.

"You needed your voice," Eric stated.

"I don't need anything except you," Ariel growled at her husband. "Why can't you understand that?"

"Everyone deserves a voice," the prince tried to explain.

Before Ariel could retaliate, there was an earth-trembling thump in the cascade of waves. Both were silent as they listened for the tremor. Thundering. Large. The fish of the sea swam desperately away. The ocean was empty of any life save for Ariel and Eric. Was it Rumplestiltskin trying to scare them off? No, even the Dark One had limits. This power felt infinite.

Suddenly a figure rose above the waters. Ariel's eyes darted to the emerging structure before her eyes. The ominous figure ascended swiftly, water fluttering off its skin as the luminescence of its fins glittered against sunlight. It wasn't enormous. Just her stepmother.

"Ursula," Ariel whispered.

Ursula's head bobbed up and down with the waves. Her midnight black hair tousled along the surface of the sea as her dangerously golden eyes threatened the young mermaid with a single look. Why had her stepmother come?

"Ariel," she smiled sickly. "We've been looking for you everywhere. To think you abandoned the kingdom."

Ariel's eyes trailed down to the legs. She realized the hypocrisy of her accusations to Eric since she herself abandoned her seat on the throne for humanity. She glared into the eyes of her stepmother, those merciless pupils, and stood unmoved in the water.

"What are you doing here," Ariel demanded, drawing on the strength that brought her to Eric.

"Everyone in Atlantis has been searching for months for you, Ariel," Ursula remarked, ignoring her previous comment.

Ariel stared at her. Ursula never cared about any of Triton's children, let alone her. She was the only one Ursula despised because Ariel saw straight through her façade.

"So how did you find me?"

Ursula smirked. "Look below your feet, darling. You're in my domain. I'm the queen of the sea."

"By marriage," Ariel retorted. "Not by blood."

"We've all been so worried for your wellbeing," Ursula said with mock sympathy. "The king has been bedridden with despair at your departure."

"So why are you here if you don't care so much," Ariel shouted over the sound of thundering clouds beckoning towards them.

Ursula smiled. "I don't. In fact, I'd much rather see you dead."

Ariel froze. Her spouse, floating beside her, held her closer than ever as Ariel heard the blood pulse through her veins in panicked synchrony. Dead?

"It's rather convenient," Ursula remarked. "And no one would suspect it. The wandering mermaid, committing treason to be with a human prince. Killed by a band of pirates coming from afar. Washed away to the depths of the sea."

"Why?" Ariel demanded. "Why me?"

"I never liked you, Ariel," Ursula snickered. "But now I see your value. You're the key to controlling Atlantis."

Ariel's eyes fluttered uncontrollable from Ursula to the sea.

"No one will believe your lies," Ariel exclaimed.

"They don't have to," Ursula said, gliding closer and closer towards the pair. "They just have to grieve for the death of their beloved daughter and sister. That'll give me my chance to take over."

"I won't let it happen," Ariel exclaimed.

"You'll be dead," Ursula snarled. "Nobody will stop me."

She pulled out from her back an elongated silver sword, beckoning around the thundering clouds that encompassed the two. It was time. Ursula glowered shrewdly at Ariel, as she gripped the sword with all her might.

"Goodbye," Ursula muttered. "Little Mermaid."

She charged. Ariel stood there in complete shock. Her mind was still processing why her stepmother was so cruel and so power-hungry. Her eyes stared at Ursula's unkempt and wild behavior, almost verging on psychotic. Ariel floated in the water, knowing better than the run. For how can a human outrun a mermaid?

She shut her eyes. It would be over soon.

Ariel heard the sound of the sword slicing through flesh. But she felt no pain.

Opening her eyes, Ariel saw Eric protectively standing before her, Ursula's sword stabbed cleanly through her prince's chest. The little mermaid's breaths heaved as Eric's blood slowly diffused into the water. She shook her head in disbelief as the blue eyes of her husband faded into lifeless ice.

"No," Ariel whispered. "Eric?"

There was no answer. She felt his face: no sign of warmth. She checked his eyes, his pulse, his movement: he was dead. Ariel felt the hot tears roll down her cheek as she watched her true love die before her eyes.

Suddenly, there were no more tears. Ariel's breath steadied as she watched Ursula hovering in the water not five feet away. She felt something that she had never felt before. This insatiable anger that conquered her, compelled her to squeeze the life out of the women responsible for Eric's death.

Without thinking, Ariel drew the sword from Eric's chest and charged towards Ursula. The Queen, stunned at the young mermaid's reaction, fled the surface of the water. But Ariel was faster. She attacked Ursula before she could descend down to the depths of Atlantis. Ariel ran the sword repeatedly through her stepmother's heart, until her anger died away and nothing was left except two dead bodies and the guilt she felt when she had realized what she'd done.

* * *

"After Eric's death," Shay illustrated, "I went around towns picking up odd jobs. Eventually, when the curse struck, I had a consistent job as a bartender in a village far away from Eric's kingdom."

"And what of the crocodile?" Killian asked softly.

"It wasn't Rumplestiltskin's fault. Not really," Shay explained, "I just needed someone to blame, someone besides myself."

When the young woman finished her story, Hook saw her in a completely different light. He'd underestimated the amount of pain she had to endure, so much tragedy all at the young age of nineteen. Shay was beyond her years, both finding and losing a true love. Shay already killed the person responsible for Eric's death: now, she answered for it every day for the rest of her life.

"I have to admit," the pirate remarked solemnly, "I never would've expected this from you."

"Because I'm a _little_ mermaid," Shay smiled. "Because I'm a princess?"

"Because you're innocent."

Shay sighed. "I was."

Killian toyed with his empty beer bottle, watching as the droplets of condensation skimmed down the rim. Out of nowhere, the pirate let out a thundering laugh. Shay looked up in surprise.

"What's so funny?" she demanded, her cold veneer returning to her face.

"Nothing," Hook smiled.

Shay smirked. It was a rare phenomenon to find your true love in your lifetime. Even more rare was to watch your love die. Now here they were, two lost souls wandering aimlessly in the world because of the deaths that defined them.

The young woman fiddled with the chipped cup she swiped from Rumplestiltskin's counter. While telling her story, Shay suddenly remembered why the dainty tea set had looked so familiar. It was a cup from Eric's castle before it was taken over by the Dark One. Shay wanted to destroy it as a symbol of her growing hatred for what Rumplestiltskin did to her, but a part of her wouldn't do it. It was Eric's after all. Gold was right: after all this time, she still couldn't let him go.

As she stood behind the counter, Hook watched Shay as she became self-absorbed in her own world. He figured now was as good a time as any to reveal his true motives for approaching her this morning.

"Come on," Hook said, standing up from the counter.

"What?" Shay exclaimed, her concentration broken from her own thoughts.

The pirate marched out of the bar as Shay fumbled around to grab her coat. What the hell did he think he was doing? As she raced out of the bar, she thought to herself _What have I got myself into_?

* * *

They wandered for what seemed like a pointless around town, through the pawnshop, around town hall, through the library. Not many people were out and about but enough to worry Shay that they would be seen. She didn't like walking so showily around, especially with a hooked-hand villain escorting her.

"Where are we going?" Shay hissed.

"We're almost there," Hook simply said.

Indeed they were. They arrived at the docks where no ships there, no fishermen, no people. It was completely deserted. Killian stepped onto one particular dock and began pacing around like an impatient boy.

"You brought me to an empty dock," Shay stated. "In the middle of the night, when I could be getting sleep."

"It won't be empty for long," Hook mumbled.

Suddenly, the smell of dark magic overwhelmed her. Shay furrowed her eyebrows as she noted the presence of the unholy mystique that surrounded them. A cloud of purple smoke emerged behind Shay, revealing a woman of medium stature, lips as red as blood, and Renaissance clothing that matched Hook's absurd clothing.

"Hello, dear," the woman smiled.

"Who the hell are you?" Shay demanded, looking accusingly at Hook. The pirate simply stood there, his arms crossed in a stiff reluctance, as if he wanted to be here less than Shay.

"My name is Cora," she said with cool detachment.

"Is that supposed to scare me?" Shay remarked with spunk.

Cora let out a melodious laugh. "No, Ariel. But I do hope to chat with you if that's quite alright."

Shay froze. "How did you…"

"Please," the witch scoffed. "You think a pirate can figure out your true identity? Who do you think sent Hook your way?"

Shay, refusing to look at the pirate, stared down Cora.

"So how do you know me?"

"Your mother and I go way back," Cora smiled. "But all in due time."

The three of them stood in the docks, each staring down the other. Cora examined the young redhead with particular interest. Shay glared down Hook, who refused to look her in the eye. His blue-green pupils trailed the movement of the waters as the waves cascaded against the wooden stakes that held up the docks in which they stand.

"I see you failed to bring me the Dark One's dagger," Cora said, averting her eyes from Shay to Hook.

"Complications," the pirate muttered with contempt. "I don't have time to play cat and mouse with you, Cora. I have my own agenda."

"That you do," the witch smiled. "But while you're still here, you'll answer to me first or else the consequences will be most severe."

Hook remained silent. He knew of the wickedness Cora could unleash upon him. The mermaid stood no chance.

"Now, dear," Cora turned to face Shay. "Enough niceties."

_That was niceties?_ Shay thought to herself.

"I have an offer for you," Cora said. "One that I suggest you take."

"Or else the consequences will be severe?" Shay mocked.

Killian smirked as Cora stared at her with well-concealed indignation.

"Help me destroy Rumplestiltskin," Cora explained. "Kill him, decapitate him, doesn't matter. As long as he is no longer a threat."

Shay pursed her lips. "I would love to murder Gold as much as the next town person, but I'm going to need a little more incentive to do that. One gold locket just isn't going to cut it."

Cora smiled. "I was hoping you'd say that."

She pulled from under her robe a bottle of radiant potion, flickering red and purple in the pale light of the moon.

"What's that?" Shay asked.

"Escape," Cora said. "Help me defeat Rumplestiltskin and you can leave the town forever. Without losing your memory."

Shay remained motionless. The thing she wanted more than true love was adventure, escape. After all this time, the young mermaid was still the same, thirsting for the new and discovering the unknown. With this, she could get a fresh start in the world, become someone else entirely, and not hide her identity like a lost cause. She would no longer be the queen slayer; she could be whomever she wanted.

"So what will it be?" Cora said.

Shay shut her eyes. She pictured walking down the streets of Manhattan, touring the French Quarters of New Orleans, watching the sunset on the Eiffel Tower.

"I'll do it."

Cora smiled. And just like that, a purple smoke enveloped her presence and she disappeared from sight. Shay turned to Killian who was less tense and more flippant than ever.

Without warning, she punched him in the arm, hoping to make a dent in his rather perfect physique.

"Guess I deserved that," Hook smirked, rubbing his bruised shoulder.

"You did," Shay snapped, "Why didn't tell me you weren't working alone?"

"You didn't ask," Hook said as he flexed his arm.

Shay rolled her eyes. "That's a horrible reason."

Hook smirked. He reached for his back pocket and flashed the golden locket before Shay's emerald eyes.

"I believe this is yours," Killian said.

Using his hook, he unlocked the clip and wrapped its cool golden metal around Shay's neck. She was about to protest but she couldn't. Why couldn't she? Shay reached for the gold locket pressed against her skin as Killian carefully secured the necklace. She shut her eyes and felt warm inside, as if her family was still with her after all this time.

"I guess we'll be seeing each other more often than not," Shay remarked coldly.

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Killian smirked.

"So what if it is," Shay retorted.

The pirate simply smiled at the mermaid. He saw something in her that he hadn't seen in himself for a while. Redemption.

"I like you, little mermaid," Hook said with a bright smile across his face. "It certainly won't be a tragedy to have you around."

And like that, Shay walked away from the docks, leaving the pirate alone, standing there and staring out into the vast open ocean. The young mermaid toyed with her gold necklace, reunited with the past and unknowingly walking directly on the path towards her future.


	3. The Cricket and the Wolf - Part 1

The bar was crowded. Drunkards were pushing through the counter to swipe a drink. Mugs of beer were spilling all over tables. Peanuts were scattered around the floors, waiting to be picked up. The loud raucous could split the head of any sober being but everybody in the bar was drunk. Save for one.

A young redhead stood in the corner, arms crossed in exasperation. _Why do I work at a bar again?_ she thought to herself. Her green eyes glared at everybody who passed her. Some even took a long look at her body before they walked off: to them, she flashed an eye roll. Whether it was the ear-splitting noise or the idiocy in the room, it didn't matter. Eventually, her bad mood would wear off. Smee, her boss, waved at her desperately to begin wiping down the tables as clients gradually slowed to a manageable amount.

While the drunks left into the darkness of the night, Shay Winters began to hum a melody, pulling at the wipe towel from her side pocket. She had missed singing so much. When the young woman thought nobody else was listening, she began to hum slightly louder. Each note lifted above her voice and filled with bar with calm serenity and undying admiration. Shay was so self-absorbed in her song that she didn't see a dark figure approach her.

"Got a lovely voice there, sweet cakes."

Shay swiveled around. A red-faced problem drinker looked her squarely in the face (or her fuzzy twin next to her). He flashed her an unruly smile as he stared into her beautiful emerald pupils.

"Thanks," Shay said, refusing to look at the drunkard for too long. She turned around and returned to the messy table, that is, until she felt an unwelcome hand caressing her waist.

"How 'bout we take this to my place," he slurred in her ear.

Shay grimaced. Her fists clenched into tiny balls. This guy had picked the wrong day to mess with the bartender.

She turned around swiftly and aimed a right hook directly into the man's jaw. It would've done some severe damage had it not been for the hand that grabbed her fist in midair. Shay turned to her right to see who was dense enough to irritate the bad-tempered mermaid. There was only one person.

"Normally, I'd applaud your efforts, mate," Killian Jones smiled at the drunk, "But not tonight. Get out."

The drunk scurried out of the pub when he stole one look at the hooked hand on his wrist. He wasn't sober but he was clear-headed enough to know not to get in a ruffle with a pirate as infamous as he.

"You shouldn't reveal yourself so openly," Shay muttered. "Wouldn't want to ruin your evil plans before they begin."

Captain Hook smirked. "Shouldn't there be a thank-you in there somewhere?"

"Not if I could've handled myself," the redhead remarked, continuing to wipe down the table.

"I don't doubt that," Killian smirked as he slid down into the chair and placed his feet on the table.

Shay glared at the pirate. "I was cleaning."

The pirate pouted his lips. "By all means, go ahead."

It has been a week since the pirate and the young mermaid first met, a week since Shay joined the merry band of misfits in their quest to destroy the Dark One. When she hadn't heard from either Cora or Hook for over that week, Shay assumed that they simply forgot about her.

_It's not like I'd be much help to the world's most notorious pirate and humanity's most powerful witch_, Shay thought to herself.

But it seemed the silence was broken when Hook decided to stop by during business hours. And here, Shay had hoped she would never have to see his pompous face again.

"You've missed me, little mermaid," the pirate joked. "I can tell."

"Keep telling yourself that," Shay remarked stiffly as she pushed his legs off the table.

"The cold shoulder can only last so long, love," the pirate smirked. "One day, you'll warm up to me."

It seemed that his flirtatious attitude didn't wear off, even with their intimate chitchat the other night: Hook's tale about the tragic Milah and Shay's very own personal misfortune. She had hoped that the pirate would act more sincere rather than his normal self. Her mistake.

Shay rolled her eyes. "Why are you here again, Hook?"

"I'm here on behalf of Cora," the pirate's grin wore off. "She wants you down by the docks in five minutes."

"So what are we waiting for?" Shay threw down her towel and grabbed for her jacket.

Smee, her boss, shot her a dirty look, which she shrugged off. The pirate rose from his seat and swaggered across the bar, the impressionable bartender following swiftly behind. _What was Cora up to now? _Shay thought as she pushed the doors open to the darkness of the night.

* * *

The young girl was sly. She nonchalantly entered Storybrooke's grocery store, her hands tucked innocently behind her back as she watched the cashier. There were many customers crowded into the shop, pushing each other for the day's last slice of roast or the remaining candy bars. She shut her eyes to calm her breathing. Everybody pushed past her but she remained still, staring directly at the bushel of apples standing before her.

Carefully, the young girl grabbed the luscious red apple and examined it. Others took no notice to her as she clandestinely pocketed the fruit in one of her many jacket zippers, slipping the apple in the midst of bulky cushions of stuffing. As the store clerk argued with another man for the price of Kool-Aid, the young girl shuffled out of the grocery store, quietly celebrating her small yet significant achievement. She made it!

As she exited the shop, she removed the red apple from her pockets and took a bite out of its side. She was so hungry that she had forgotten what the fruit had tasted like itself.

"Bravo."

The girl looked up in fright, leaving fruit juice dripping down her cheek. There was a scrawny, tall figure lurking the shadows of the shop, smiling at her.

"That's pretty good for an amateur," the boy grinned. "Was that your first time?"

"Who are you?" the girl demanded, gripping the apple tightly around her fingers.

The boy had unkempt black hair strewn across a pair of deep chocolate eyes. He was tall but rather skinny, like he was almost starved to death. His face however was warm and friendly. There was no sign that he was hostile, especially to her.

"My name is Al," he smiled. "What's yours?"

The girl paused. She never trusted anybody easily, but for some reason, she decided to trust him.

"Shay," she nodded. "Shay Winters."

Al smiled softly at her. "It's nice to meet you, Shay."

He looked at her from the bottom up. She was wearing nice clothing, hardly something a thief would be caught dead in. But her demeanor said much more. She was reluctant to trust the boy, hugging the apple like it was the last scrap of food, and gradually stepping further and further away from Al as time passed. She was one of them.

"Here, why don't you come back with me?" Al suggested. "You can tell me all about your story."

"My story?" Shay murmured.

Al nodded. "Everybody has a story worth telling, don't they?"

Shay smiled for what felt like the first time in a long while.

The young boy grabbed her cold hands and led her down the street. Shay took another bite from her apple, feeling the sweet juice drip down her chin and for once, enjoying the taste that it filled her mouth with.

* * *

Empty docks. At least that's what Shay assumed. The fog had descended upon the nighttime air. An eerie echo of seagulls clucking in the atmosphere filled Shay's eardrums with an overall ominous feeling. At this point, the young girl had wished she'd stayed behind in the bar.

"Well," Hook smirked. "Aren't you coming aboard?"

Shay raised an eyebrow. "Have you gone blind since the last time we spoke? There isn't anything here."

The pirate smiled mysteriously. He took a step forward and ascended like he floated in midair. Impossible: people couldn't fly.

"How…" Shay muttered in disbelief.

"Magic," Hook sighed. "Vexing nonsense but efficient, I must say. Now are you just going to stand there, darling, or come aboard?"

Shay took a hesitant step forward and felt the ledge with her feet. Gradually, she climbed faster and faster up the plank, watching her feet rise above the ground in awe. She felt a wave of invisibility pass through her. Did her eyes deceive her? There was an entire ship before her.

She couldn't help but let out a slight smile. With all the ships she had seen in her lifetime, watching them from afar on her distant rock during her childhood, this was by far the most extravagant, the most beautiful ship. With its yellow lining and royal blue hull, Shay was deeply impressed. So much for cold shoulder.

"It's amazing," she whispered.

Hook smiled and for once, it was truly genuine. "She's my masterpiece."

Shay ran her fingers across the wooden board, feeling the smooth panel against her soft hand. She couldn't help herself. For a second, the world once again saw a glimpse of Ariel.

The pirate coughed slightly. Ariel disappeared from the world and Shay took her place once again. Those brilliant emerald eyes shimmered less as her feet were once again grounded steadily on the wood of the ship.

"You may want to save your applause for later, love," Hook stated. "Cora doesn't like to be kept waiting."

Shay nodded, turning away from the smooth panels of the ship. The pirate led her down into the captain's quarters of his ship where the pair swung along with the movement of the waves. Shay held onto the wall of the ship while Hook moved effortlessly down the stairs. As she reached the bottom of the ship's belly, Shay felt a thin breeze of wind run through her, sending chills up her spine. That's when she knew Cora has arrived.

"You called," Shay remarked sarcastically, her eyes fluttering around the hull of the ship in search of the invisible witch.

Like that, a flash of purple smoke emerged before the pirate and the mermaid, revealing a tall and vicious magician before their midst. Cora flashed her a slight smile, remaining stone still. Out of the corner of her eye, Shay noticed the pirate tensing at the presence of the sorceress. He was afraid of her (with good reason).

"Look in the back," Cora addressed both Killian and Shay. "I left a present for both of you."

The sorceress was as mysterious as ever, never forwardly admitting to her plots or motives. Hook moved forward, pulling the doors of the cabinet at the floors of the ship. As they swung open, the pirate let out a faint smirk.

Shay glanced into the bottom and saw a truly horrific sight: man tied up and gagged. Upon a look, the redhead knew exactly what the two villains planned to do. She never had the taste for torture or violence; the only vice she allowed herself to indulge in was thievery and even then her conscience often interrupted.

"That's the town shrink," Shay observed. "What's he doing here? Everybody thinks he's dead."

"Well he looks awfully alive to me," Hook said, facing the witch. "How is this a gift, Cora? I believe I made my requests quite clear."

"That you have," Cora nodded. "That _cricket_ is the key to unlocking the Dark One's secrets."

"Pray do tell," Hook said, scratching his chin.

"He knows the comings and goings of every townsperson," Cora smiled darkly. "Even you, _Shay Winters_."

Shay's eyes looked up from the ground. She was shooting daggers through the sorceress's forehead, but it had no effect on the witch's impending taunts.

"I had no idea you were such a notorious thief in Storybrooke," she smiled. "With such a sophisticated upbringing, I expected more."

"Are we here to talk about my family history," Shay snapped, "Or get some work done?"

Hook smiled. "She has a point."

Cora turned back to the poor man trapped in the chambers of the ship. His eyes flashed by Shay in a sense of recognition, realizing her presence with these villains couldn't be good for Storybrooke's wellbeing. She crossed her arms and looked away from the man's judging eyes. She was only here for the prize, not the ride.

"I'll leave you to your interrogation," Cora remarked. "I have other business to attend to."

And in a flash of purple, the witch disappeared before their eyes.

Without hesitation, Hook began mercilessly grabbing the man from the cupboard, pulling him above the hidden burrow and setting him on the ground.

Shay stood there, shuffling her feet. It wasn't like she was going to be much help in an interrogation: Shay didn't have the stomach for ruthless beating and torturing information out of prisoners. Up until now, she hadn't truly seen the despondent pirate in his element. That night, the redhead caught a glimpse of it.

Hook shoved the therapist off to the side and grabbed him by his collared shirt. "What do you know about Rumplestiltskin?"

"I…I don't know much," the man stuttered.

"Aye," Hook smiled cruelly, "But you know something."

The man gulped.

Killian grabbed his throat, causing an unpleasant gurgling sound to emerge from the therapist's lips. Shay pressed together her own lips in disapproval.

"Your silence is unsettling, cricket," Killian muttered into the man's ear. "I would hate to have to _make_ you talk."

This went on for a while, or for what felt like a while. Shay stood there with her arms crossed, watching with a pained face as the pirate intimidated his victim. Shay didn't know what else she expected from Killian: he was a pirate after all.

Threats were thrown back and forth but the cricket wouldn't waver, though he stuttered much. Shay was rather admirable of his bravery while Hook was irritated by it.

"My patience is wearing thin," he muttered.

"Strange," the cricket whispered through his teeth.

"What was that?" the pirate demanded in a cruel voice.

The cricket's eyes widened as he saw Hook press his prosthetic hand against the man's chin, watching him squirm. The therapist clearly knew what cruel deeds the hook had done and he did not want to become one of them.

He cleared his throat and spoke his conscience.

"Just some observations," the therapist mumbled, "Symptoms of psychotic obsession and vengeance-driven rage."

Shay scoffed. Both men turned to stare at her.

"The guy's spot on, Hook," she shrugged. "You should listen."

The therapist continued, "It's probably driven by a death of a loved one. A spouse, perhaps."

Hook let go of the man's shirt, backing away from him. The therapist took this as a positive sign so he proceeded with his prognosis.

"You're probably feeling despair or loneliness, which is quite normal for people in your position," the cricket rambled on. "But you've kept your feelings buried deep for a long while which amounted to your hard exterior and your excessive pursuit of women."

Shay smirked quietly to herself: dead on. The grin was wiped off her face when she saw the look that Hook expressed: utter shock and misery. But the therapist, unbeknownst of the pirate's reaction carried on his psychological analysis.

"The real problem with this particular condition is the accomplishment of vengeance," the cricket said. "Patients afterwards are often empty and without motive. That's when the true psychotic behavior begins."

"That's enough," Hook growled, his fists clenched dangerously firm at his side.

Both the cricket and the mermaid widened their eyes in fear. Shay scrunched her eyebrows at the pirate's agitated appearance. He seemed genuinely bothered by the cricket's psychoanalysis. Killian stood there glaring at the cricket, as if examining him under a microscope for dissection. Without warning, he pulled the prisoner back into the hull of the ship, leaving him shrugged against the walls of his prison. The pirate himself climbed up the staircase to the sea-breezed docks of his ship, leaving in isolation to process exactly how accurate the cricket's predictions of him truly were.

* * *

Al led her across Storybrooke into the outskirts of town, where no upstanding citizen dared to venture. He told her he was bringing her home, wherever that was.

When they stumbled upon an abandoned pathway, the young girl was beginning to regret her decision to follow this stranger. The street was paved with foul drifters and other unruly beings, staring uneasily at her. Shay's green eyes darted around her, trying to ward off any lingering hobo or dangerous mugger that may come onto her. Al chuckled at the young girl's panicked reaction.

"Relax," he whispered. "You're safe with me."

Shay certainly didn't feel that much safer. The neighborhood was far from what she was used to, even before becoming an alleged thief.

After passing a lane of frightful looking individuals, the boy pulled her aside into a deserted, old house. The decrepit building stood along a pathway into the deep forests of Maine. The faded white paint and broken porch didn't bode well with the girl's perception of "safe". There was a distant cackle of laughter emerging from the inside the house. Shay took a few steps back.

"Come on," Al whispered softly. "They're waiting inside."

_Who was waiting?_ Shay thought to herself as Al took her hand.

As they stepped closer and closer towards the crummy shack, the laughter and conversations began to grow louder and louder. Shay gripped Al's hand tighter as she felt a wave of anxiety roll through her.

Their feet stepped onto the porch; Shay was careful not to make any sudden movements that could accidentally fracture the entire structure.

"Shay."

The young girl's eyes peered at Al. He smiled welcomingly, pushing open the door.

"Welcome to your new home."

Inside, revealed ten or so guys sitting along the floorboards. Some were playing cards. Others were arm wrestling. They aged from as small as eight to as old as Shay: some were even older like Al. All of them were wearing raggedy clothing stolen from garbage bins or thrift shop. There was no doubt that they were all thieves and yet each wore a huge grin on their face as they saw a new addition to their misfit family.

"Boys," Al smiled as he placed one hand on Shay's back. "Meet our newest member, Shay."

The boys all gathered around Shay, introducing themselves to her. They had never seen a girl in a long time, especially not one as beautiful as she. Though she was still quite frightened, Shay still stood out as exceedingly appealing, with flowing auburn hair and glowing emerald eyes. The band of thieves was enchanted.

"Where'd you find this one?" one of the older boys asked as others began to greet her to their humble abode.

"She was stealing apples outside the old Sleepy's pharmacy," Al grinned. "Quite good at it for a newbie."

Shay smiled as she shook hands with a blonde young boy around the same age as her. Out of the entire group, he looked the friendliest including Al. He wore a familiar grin and a rather nostalgic blue hue of eyes. He looked so familiar: she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"I'm Shay," she nodded.

"Sebastian," he beamed, "But people here just call me Stan."

For the second time that day, Shay smiled. It was a record, smiling twice in one day. One that would be broken with each passing moment.

"That's a nice name," Shay said, staring hard at Stan.

Shay wouldn't remember every person in the intimate group, but a few stood out to her immediately. There was a young boy around ten who reminded her of an ecstatic puppy: he called himself Fred. Another boy around his teens with was less exuberant and almost blank: he didn't give her a name. Then there was Jason, the charismatic young fellow that was one of many that acknowledge the young girl flirtatiously. Down the line, Shay met every boy: Al made sure of it. If she was to be properly initiated into their family, she needed to meet them all.

"Now, I want you all to make Shay here feel welcome," Al twinkled, "After all, she's been having a hard day."

After introducing her to everybody in the family, Al settled down next to a boy named Rob and began discussing some private business, probably a new ambush on the local grocer.

Sebastian offered Shay a fresh banana from their heap of stolen goods.

"Hungry?" he asked.

Shay shook her head. "No, thanks. I just ate."

The pair sat down on the ground across from a group of youngster playing Go-Fish with a moldy deck of cards. Sebastian stared at Shay for some time before opening his mouth and speaking his mind.

"How did you end up as a thief?" he asked.

Shay pursed her lips. "It's kind of a long story."

Stan shrugged. "We've got plenty of time."

She bit her lower lip. Where to begin? The young girl thought back to her old life, digging up unwanted memories. She didn't remember much about her family: for some odd reason, the recollection was hazy. But she remembered.

"I ran away from home," Shay explained.

"Really?" Stan asked sympathetically.

Shay nodded. "My family was always telling me to be someone I was not. Be the perfect daughter. Be the cute younger sister."

"So you ran away."

"And became a street rat," the redhead smiled to herself. "Not one of my best plans, I have to say."

Sebastian looked admirably at the girl, her shoulders shrugged against the wall but her spirits held high above the ceiling walls of the torn-down roof of Storybrooke's most infirm home.

"You're brave," he remarked.

Shay scoffed. "Right. I'm sure they give out medals for worst daughter of the year."

"No," Stan shook his head. "I mean you're brave to just pick up and run. No person I know would have enough guts to do that."

The redhead let herself grin brightly at the flattering boy. "Thanks, Sebs."

They sat there in silence. Shay shut her eyes and drifted off into an easy sleep with the melodious sound of laughter and warmth encompassing her into a sweet dream.

* * *

As the redhead emerged from the belly of the ship, she immediately spotted the captain sitting against the ledge of his ship, sipping from a silver flask. His ruffled brown hair billowed in the wind as his eyes wandered distantly into the darkened horizon. He looked distraught, or slightly drunk. Shay shook her head.

The mermaid could hardly blame him for acting this way. His prisoner brought to light every mistake he had made throughout his life and shoved them into one compact mental evaluation of his impending insanity. Anybody would be upset, if not furious.

She carefully strolled up the stairs, watching as Hook purposely avoided eye contact with her. As the therapist noted, he made it his duty to conceal the inner workings of his mind: to have them revealed like an open wound was probably a blow to his façade or, God forbid, his ego. Shay was probably the last person in the world he wanted to see.

Such feigned indifferent didn't stop her. The young girl reached the head of the ship and sat herself down next to the distressed pirate.

"Nice night," Shay acknowledge weakly.

Hook remained silent.

Shay cleared her throat. She never planned as far as here. Comforting and sweet-talking a pirate was not in her skill set.

"You know," the redhead jokingly smiled. "I hear therapists make horrible party guests. Go figure."

Again, utter silence.

Shay bit her lower lip. She was almost out of ideas. The pirate took another sip from the flask, drops of alcohol slithering down the edge of his mouth. She ran her fingers through her chestnut hair, pondering her next move.

"You mind if I take a sip?" Shay asked, pointing at the bottle Killian gripped tightly in his right hand.

"You drink?" he said, looking at the girl with raised eyebrows.

Shay rolled her eyes. "I'm a bartender, Hook. It's in the job description."

She awaited the many taunts that would come from the pirate's mouth, but surprisingly, none came. He simply handed her the silver flask without a sound.

Shay grabbed the flask and took a sip. It was strong tasting liquor with an almost spice-like flavor. In short career of bartending, she'd never come across a drink quite as zesty. She scrunched her eyebrows and attempted to swallow the piquant beverage in one gulp. Still, the pirate made no joke.

It was time for the last resort. The redhead reached into the back pocket of her jeans and pulled out a tiny packet.

"What's that?" Hook asked, taking back the flask.

Shay smiled. "Jellybeans," she said, waving the colorful package in front of his disoriented blue-green eyes.

Hook stared at her. "You're not going to leave anytime soon, are you?"

"No."

The pirate took the packet of jellybeans from Shay's hand and examined it under fluorescent light. They were small spits of red, blue, green in one convenient little case.

"Are these magic?" he asked her.

She shrugged. "Pretty much."

Cautiously, he tore open the foreign pack with his teeth and dozens of jellybeans scattered across his palm. He picked up one of them and twirled it around on his fingers.

"Not that one," Shay exclaimed, stealing the jellybean away from his fingers. "Blue ones are my favorite."

Hook made a face that reminded the redhead of the phrase "stealing candy from a baby". But she didn't care. Shay popped the blue jellybean into her mouth and grinned at him, with a teethful of blueberry flavor.

He picked up a red jellybean and mimicked her action. Killian placed the candy in his mouth and chewed.

Shay didn't expect the treatment to work so soon but the moment the pirate swallowed the "magic bean", he let himself smirk once more.

"It's quite good," Hook remarked.

"Would I ever steer you amiss, captain," Shay smirked, taking another jellybean from Hook's palm.

The pair sat there devouring the candy.

Killian seemed to take a particular liking to the blue jellybeans, to Shay's detriment. Whenever she tried to snatch another blue one, the pirate was one step ahead of her. She would grimace, taking a green one instead. After finishing off the entire collection, the pirate seemed to revert back to normal conversation.

Carelessly, Killian threw the empty plastic wrapper of jellybeans off the edge of the ship; it landed in the dark water, floating away from the Jolly Roger.

"That's littering," Shay exclaimed.

"You just happen to have these beans with you on the whim?" Killian asked, ignoring the girl's pleas.

Shay nodded, her eyes still wandering to the floating trash on the seabed. "Jellybeans are the only thing that make me feel better when…"

She left the words hanging mid-sentence.

"When you're thinking about him," Killian finished for her.

The two sat there watching the faint waves carry them from left to right. Shay took a deep breath. She almost missed the reminiscent scent of the ocean. Almost.

Shay turned to look at the pirate with piercing green eyes.

"What was she like?" the redhead whispered.

Hook stood there strong and silent. Shay didn't know what reaction she hoped to gain. Anger? Perhaps. A punch in the face? Most likely. But her curiosity got the best of her. Shay wanted to meet the woman who had enough spark to enchant the famed playboy pirate.

"Wild," he recalled with a sincere smile. "And fearless."

"I can see what you liked about her," Shay warmly said.

"What about your prince?" Hook asked, taking another sip from his flask.

Shay thought, _Where to begin?_ The girl hadn't thought about him so more than 28 years, but she still remembered every outline of his face down to the cheek dimples.

"He was adventurous. And caring. It was never boring when he was around," Shay sighed.

Her mind began to wander deep into her memory, recalling those naïve days where Eric and she would walk hand in hand down a beach with no care in the world. Shay looked back on her impression of her old self and realized how truly childish she was, thinking she could be Ariel forever.

The redhead peered down at the man's right arm as his fingers fiddled with the silver container. She noticed some writing sprawled across his forearm in red and black ink.

"You must've really loved her," Shay pointed out.

Hook smirked. "What makes you say that?"

The former mermaid pointed at his forearm. "Your tattoo. It has Milah's name on it."

Killian smiled at the observant young girl. It wasn't hard to figure out that he was truly in love with Milah, but not many had the pluck to say it to his face. After all, he had the tendency throw overboard anyone who would dare mention the taboo name.

"Does it bother you?" Hook inquired.

"No," Shay shook her head. "Why would it? I have one too."

Killian's eyes sparked up in delight. "You have a tattoo?"

Shay nodded, immediately regretting her words.

The pirate smirked, eyeing her up and down. "Where?"

Shay rolled her eyes. "That's for me to know."

"And me to find out?" Hook flirted.

The redhead scoffed. "Glad to see you got your ego back, Hook."

Though Shay had no taste for the flirtatious Hook, she still would rather see him talkative than mute. It was odd to think that Killian Jones was a man that could be broken with the single mention of a woman's name.

"Thank you."

Shay's eyes perked up.

"What was that?" she asked, staring down the captain in utter surprise.

Hook smirked. "Surely you've heard me say that before, sweetheart."

Shay was sure that she hadn't. The pirate has said many things, mostly dirty words or heated threats. However, never did she nor any of his past crewmates hear the captain utter those two words. It was completely out of character: very un-Killian-like.

"No," Shay shook her head.

"Would you like me to say it again?" Killian joked.

Shay smiled. "I think I may have a voice recorder if you want to give it a go."

He grinned. Shay couldn't explain why but Killian's smile suddenly filled her heart up with tenderness, a feeling she hadn't allowed herself to feel since Eric's death. The pirate warmheartedly slid his hand over hers: the mermaid flushed a shade at the slight touch of human skin.

"Thank you, Shay."

The pair beamed at each other and for the first time since they met, the two shared a truly intimate moment. But their friendly exchange was short-lived.

At the intruding sound of heels clicking against the docks, Shay and Hook looked up from their prolonged stares in panic. Killian's expression shifted form adoration to

A young girl dressed in a loud shade of red walked along the wharf, a Dalmatian accompanying her. Shay recognized her from Granny's Bed and Breakfast. She was that girl who worked there. What was her name again? Scarlett? Renee?

The girl leaned down and petted the dog on its head.

"Do you see Archie, Pongo?" the girl said into the dog's ear. "Is he close?"

_Damn it_, Shay thought. They were looking for the therapist. How the hell did they even know he was alive?

Hook immediately reacted. His hand moved from hers as he stood up from the ledge, preparing for an attack on his craft. His blue-green eyes skimmed over the docks, scrutinizing the girl's every movement.

Shay jumped up from the side of the ship and peered over at the intruders.

The red girl walked closer and closer towards the ship. Shay could hear her heart pounding in her head. The girl and the dog were so close to the vessel that they could reach out and touch it. Pongo, sensing their presence in the water, turned towards the dock, barking incessantly at the invisible ship. Red Girl frowned.

"There's nothing here," the girl whispered to the dog.

Shay almost sighed out in relief: they weren't discovered.

Until the girl paused. Something had caught her eye. Pongo had stopped barking but she had leaned over the edge of the dock, the ship's wall inches away from her face. Shay gulped as Red Girl fished around in the water and picked up with her manicured hand a discarded jellybean wrapper.

Shay turned and glared at Hook. The pirate replied with the silent drawing of his sword. He knew it was a matter of time before the girl would be aboard the ship.

Red Girl wiped the residue water on her shirt and straightened out the packet, holding it against her nose. Shay furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

Killian mouthed, "What is she doing?" to his accomplice.

Shay shrugged.

They eyed at the girl as she shut her eyes and took in the scent. Too late did Shay realize that Red Girl was smelling them. When she opened her eyes, golden lupine-like pupils stared directly at them, seeing through the invisible shield that kept them safe. Shay shivered as she watched the girl's wolf-like eyes dart around the docks. The golden shade faded from her pupils but she had already gotten what she wanted.

In a matter of seconds, Red Girl found the invisible ledge and was approaching the Jolly Roger at a rapid pace.

"Ah, hell," Shay muttered, picking up a spare sword from the random jumble in Killian's stash. She needed to defend herself.

The redhead positioned herself next to the pirate captain, holding the sword in an awkward position at the side. Killian let out a taunting smirk at her impotence at swordplay before grasping the peril they faced when the girl laid eyes on them.

As Red Girl passed through the shield of invisibility, she saw two unruly individuals pointing swords at her chest, threatening her entrance upon the vessel. Her eyes widened in shock as the entirety of the ship unveiled before her eyes. Shay stood there, quivering from the heavy weight of the sword while Killian, standing beside her, stood naturally still. Red Girl's eyes glanced from the pirate to the girl.

"What's going on here?" she demanded, gripping the jellybean wrapper tight in her fist.

"I could ask you the same thing, love," Killian snarled. "What are you doing aboard my ship?"

Red Girl, ignoring the pirate's words, turned to Shay.

"You," she whispered. "I recognize you. You're the girl that works at Smee's bar, aren't you?"

"Part-time job," Shay remarked. "How did find this ship?"

Red Girl gloated by revealing the jellybean wrapper in her hands. "You two should learn to cover your tracks."

Shay gritted her teeth, shooting Hook a fatal look. It was his wrapper that he threw into the ocean. This was simply karma repaying their misdeeds. The pirate, however, returned with his signature smirk.

"It's what you get for littering," Shay muttered to her partner.

"What's life without a little vice, eh?" Hook breathed in her ear.

Shay couldn't help but smile. It seemed harder to give Killian the cold shoulder after their heart-to-heart earlier.

Red Girl stood in front of them, her face resolute.

"Where's Archie?" she demanded, her eyes flickering from a mellow brown to a dangerous gold.

"Walk away," Hook said coldly, facing the yellow-eyed girl, "Normally I wouldn't be saying that to a beautiful woman but I'm going to have to make an exception for you."

Only the infamous Captain Hook could possibly be threatening and coy in the same sentence. Red Girl grimaced. She was outnumbered and everyone on the ship knew it. However, either she was extremely brave or extremely stupid because the girl stood there unmoved. She obviously wasn't leaving without getting what she came for. They'd reached a standstill.

"I leave you for a few hours," a voice emerged from behind. "And you managed to jeopardize our entire operation."

Shay whipped her head around and faced a disgruntled Cora, standing in the center of the ship and angrily eyeing the intruding passenger. The mood promptly darkened; the mermaid noted, out of the corner of her eye, Red Girl stiffening at the smell of black magic.

"It's hardly our fault," Shay muttered contemptuously.

"The trespasser on Hook's ship seems to say otherwise," Cora stated as she nodded at the Red Girl.

Shay, pumped up with anger, swiveled around and faced the witch. She drew her lips in a thin line and shot menacing looks.

"You wanted an interrogation," Shay seethed. "We gave it our best shot."

"Perhaps," Cora flashed a cruel smile. "Now here's mine."

Curiously enough, the sorceress dissipated in a flash of ostentatious smoke once again. Shay began to become very irritated by her employer, not that she wasn't already before.

She turned back around to deal with their problem at hand. But it seemed their problem just got ten times worse.

"It seems I may have coined a misnomer," Killian bantered uneasily, "When I called her a beautiful woman."

Shay's eyes widened. Red Girl was no longer in sight, but an angry black wolf stood in her place, snapping at them with jaws of sharp teeth and eyes of pure animalistic instinct.

"You think?" the redhead remarked sarcastically.

The pair backed away from the animal, but it slowly followed in their footsteps, stalking them towards the edge of the ship. Shay gripped her sword tightly as she watched the big bad wolf creep closer and closer towards them, each stride larger than the last. Her legs quaked in fear, but she tried to stay strong. Killian remained speechless, but Shay knew that he was just as scared as her. And whenever that was the case, she knew they were in deep trouble.


	4. The Cricket and the Wolf - Part 2

Everybody was in place. They only had one shot at this. Al's boys were scattered around grocery store, trying their hardest not to stray from the plan. They were to act natural until it was time to strike.

Fred was happily skipping around the store, earning scornful looks from the owner of the shop.

Rob was casually pacing around Aisle 4, inspecting the shop's selection of toothpaste and clandestinely shooting the young boy dirty looks.

Al was chatting up the local neighbors in the shop, hoping to throw off suspicion for their unscrupulous act. He was initially hesitant to carry out this heist with such an inexperienced lot but they'd come so long. Backing out now would not be wise.

And then there was Shay, standing in a corner, arms crossed and blazing red hair tied up in a ponytail. She received a few odd stares from passing customers but overall, her presence was overlook.

Of all the people in the store, the redhead looked the most felonious, with her piercing emerald eyes and wry smile. She adapted well with her new family, learning their ways and rising in renown among the criminal underground. Finally, she found her place among the riffraff of Storybrooke.

Sebastian covertly sauntered up beside Shay, watching the others from the sideline.

"Nervous?" Stan asked her as he cracked his knuckles.

"Why would I be?" Shay raised her eyebrow.

The blonde boy shrugged. "It's a pretty big job."

"I'm not nervous," the redhead stated sternly. "I'm ready for this."

The pair stood there. Over the months, Sebastian grew to be very fond of Shay; he thought of her as his little sister in a way. But as their affectionate relationship grew, Sebastian became more protective of her well-being. He thought that Shay deserved a life outside the world of crime and thievery, a pastime he wasn't too fond of himself.

Shay watched the clock closely, timing each passing second. Her eyes never wavered from the second hand, which was probably why she didn't see the vibrant little boy coming towards her from Aisle 7. Before she knew what was happening, Shay was tackled to the ground by the child.

"Oomph," Shay grumbled as her head hit the tiled floors.

"I'm sorry, miss," the boy exclaimed, "Are you alright?"

Shay rubbed her head as she got back on her feet.

"Peachy," she muttered.

She looked up and the entire crew was staring at her. Al flashed her a look of concern. It seemed like for a minute, the entire store froze and watched her as she recovered from the ambush. Shay shook her head subtly at Al. Their plan was not jeopardized.

The redhead helped the child pick up his scattered books from the floor: piles of comic books, pencils, and a random assortment of crayons. One particular thing that stood out. An antique-looking storybook, with flashing gold calligraphy composed on the leather cover. She held it in her hand for a long second. _Weird thing for a kid to own_, she thought.

Shay smiled at the young boy, handing him back his book. He had such a promising gleam in his eye, something she hadn't seen often in Storybrooke.

"What's your name?" she asked him.

"Henry," he chirped, stuffing the book back into his backpack.

Shay raised her eyebrow. "The mayor's kid?"

He nodded, bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet.

Shay smiled. Henry reminded her of herself when she was a young child, energetic and full of hope. She immediately liked his seemingly impossible zesty attitude; it gave him a rebellious contrast to Mayor Regina's humorless demeanor.

"Do you like to sing?" Henry asked her with a bright grin.

Shay blinked. "Excuse me?"

"Sing," Henry repeated. "Like Ariel."

Shay immediately understood the boy's possession of the storybook.

"Sure," she nodded. "What about you?"

Henry shrugged. "I'm not good at it though."

The redhead smiled. "Well you know what they say…"

Her grin was wiped off her face. The clock chimed noon and the entire store was filled with an ear-splitting fire alarm. It was the signal. Customers were racing out of the shop and the boys were rushing to finish the job: they had exactly ten minutes before the sheriff would arrive. Al stared directly at her, shooting her a look that said "Get rid of the kid."

"Henry," Shay said, leaning down at eye level with the child, "Listen to me. Get out of here right now."

She didn't stop to see if Henry heeded her warning. Shay stood up to her feet and hurried beside the rest of the crew as they stuffed toiletries into empty garbage bags. The redhead grabbed all the refreshments from the refrigerator, cramming them into her black plastic bag. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Rob leaning over the counter and taking twenty dollar bills from the register, but keeping the hundreds safely inside. Sebastian made a grab the necessary fruits and vegetables for the lot of growing young boys. Fred stuffed his pockets with Mars bars and M&M packets, as many as his heart desired.

When ten minutes approached, the crew gathered up their things and escaped out the back door. The boys grinned at each other, sharing their treasure troves of candy and soda galore.

"Not bad for a rookie," Al smiled, patting Shay on the back.

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not a rookie anymore, Al."

"I know," he dipped his head, "But it's still fun to call you that."

Shay sighed in relief. They had made it out, every single one of them. The plan was completed without a single hitch, which was odd because Al's plans never worked out as planned. Shay embraced the feeling of success as she lifted her garbage bag on her shoulders and strolled away with her band of misfit friends.

That is, until she turned around and saw Henry still trapped in the convenient store.

Her green eyes widened as she peered into the windows of the shop, watching as the little boy looked bewildered by the empty store and loud noise. Without hesitation, Shay dropped her garbage bag on the concrete pavement and raced back into the store.

"Shay," Al called out for her. "What the hell are you doing?"

She ignored him, marching into the grocery store while the rest of the crew stood outside watching her in surprise. The moment she stepped foot into the store, many alarms went off in her head: What the hell _was_ she doing? Shay pushed past the earth-shattering noise in her eardrums and found Henry wandering aimlessly around the store like a lost puppy.

"Henry," she shouted above the blaring alarm.

The boy leapt over to Shay's side, his hands covering his ears. The redhead quickly led Henry out of the store, seconds before the town sheriff had arrived at the scene.

"Are you okay?" Shay asked Henry, examining him with concern.

"Yeah," Henry nodded, rubbing his ears.

Shay patted the kid on his head and smiled. "Maybe you should've listened to me when I told you to get out."

Henry smiled weakly.

"Miss?"

Shay looked her. The town sheriff was hovering over her, staring down at the redhead with hard brown eyes. His hands were at his hip, his fingers lightly tracing the gun holster. After only a few months working with thieves, she was already caught red-handed by Sheriff Graham.

_Deep trouble_, Shay thought to herself.

* * *

"Got any bright ideas, pirate?" Shay stammered as her eyes followed the movement of the dark wolf stalking its prey.

"Still thinking," Killian flashed her a tense smile.

Shay turned her head towards the flippant pirate. "Well, could you think a faster? We're kind of on a deadline."

They were pushed as far back as the ship would allow, Shay's wavy red hair drifting in the cool night air like a mass of pure flame. Any further and they would've been toppling headfirst into the water. The wolf thing growled at her, its large eyes a reflection of the pale glimmering light of the full moon.

_Werewolf_, Shay noted as she put the pieces together. _Figures_.

With the wolf's ravenous snout inches away from them, it seemed that all hope was lost. Shay shut her eyes. So this was how it would end for the two of them: death by the Big Bad Wolf.

Then suddenly, Hook's cocky smirk returned onto his face. The brilliant gleam in his eyes could only mean one thing: the captain had a plan.

"Do you know how to swim?" he asked the mermaid.

Shay opened her eyes. "You're kidding right?" she retorted sarcastically.

Taking that as a sign of approval of his plan, Killian carried on with his impromptu escape route. Without warning, the pirate lifted Shay off her feet.

"Hey," the redhead protested, "What the hell are you doing?"

Ignoring her objection, Killian smiled wickedly, one eye watching the wolf and another peering at the girl in his arms. He had exactly one second to make this work. Immediately, the pirate threw Shay overboard into the unfriendly waters of Maine.

"Hook," Shay shouted right before she splashed, fully clothed, into the freezing ocean.

Killian climbed upon the ledge and faced the werewolf with a sly grin. With that, he followed the redhead into the water, plunging headfirst into the sea, narrowly escaping the werewolf's fatal teeth.

Shay resurfaced, gasping for air. The wolf had backed away from the ledge and stormed off the Jolly Roger, heading into the heart of town. She watched as the pirate emerged from the dark ocean's waters, his eyes twinkling with a job well done. Shay glared at him, flicking water at his face.

"What was that for?" Killian smirked.

Shay narrowed her eyes. "You know exactly what that was for."

The pair made sure that the wolf was nowhere in sight before heading to the wharf. They climbed up onto the docks, soaking and shivering from the cold wintry air.

"Well, I'd say we made some excellent progress tonight," Hook grinned, running his fingers through his drenched hair.

Shay twisted her bundle of wet red hair, squeezing all the water out of her shiny strands.

"If you call that excellent, I'd hate to see terrible progress," Shay muttered scathingly, still angry with Hook for his spontaneous maneuver.

As the pair dried off, there was an uncomfortable silence but an unspoken understanding. They were both thinking about their previous intimate conversation on the ship, knowing that the two shared things that had been buried for so long. Though they couldn't deny it felt pleasant to be able to share so openly, neither one wanted to mention the incident again.

"I suppose we should head back to the ship," Hook suggested, walking back in the direction of his invisible vessel.

"Are you kidding?" Shay remarked. "There's a werewolf on the loose and you expect us to just sit there and do nothing."

Killian turned back around. "Normally I prefer living to being mauled by savage beasts."

Shay scrunched her eyebrows. "But if we don't do anything, people will die."

The pirate examined her from head to toe. "I never took you for the heroics type, love," Killian joked.

Ignoring him, Shay urged on. "So you'll help me?"

Hook shook his head. "I'm afraid not, darling. Much needed sleep awaits me."

Shay clenched her jaw, watching as the captain strolled back to his ship.

"Funny," she shouted at him. "I never took _you_ to be the cowardly type."

Killian turned around, narrowing his eyes.

"Don't tempt me," Killian said. "You will regret it."

"Empty threats," Shay smirked, crossing her arms. "Typical, Hook. All you ever do is talk. Where's the fearsome pirate that I heard so many stories about?"

He marched towards her, holding onto his precious self-esteem.

"You really want to play this game, love?" Hook stared intensely at her. "Why don't you eat your own words? Where's the infamous queen slayer tonight, eh?"

Shay grimaced at the thought of her dark past.

"You know those stories about me are true," Shay gritted. "I haven't the faintest idea about what is true and what is legend about you. How do I not know that all your stories are just stories?"

Hook clenched his teeth in seething anger as he watched the redhead blatantly insult him. If he weren't so angry with her, he'd applaud her courage. Not many people bad-mouthed him and lived to tell the tale.

"But if you stop the werewolf," Shay smiled, "Consider my opinion of you restored."

Hook surveyed her, his mouth drawing a thin line. After he considered her words, he scoffed.

"That's some silver tongue you have there, lass," Killian smirked. "Consider me convinced."

Shay smiled. She may not be the most virtuous, the most upstanding of citizens in Storybrooke, but at least she could say that when the time called upon her, the redhead managed to convince the most corrupt of pirates to fight the battle for good. Just this once.

* * *

"I can explain," Shay said to the Sheriff Graham, her palm sweaty and her face flushed.

"There's a store stolen of most of its stock," the sheriff acknowledged, "And you two are the last seen fleeing the scene. You expect me to believe anything that comes out of your mouth?"

Shay held her tongue. It seemed unlikely to talk her way out of this one. After all, if Henry were there the whole time, he would've seen her join her criminal accomplices in robbing the store. It was only a matter of time before the truth was revealed one way or the other.

She peered at her friends, standing in the corner across the street from the grocery store. Al stared at her with a worried expression spread across his face. Sebastian was out of his mind distressed, angrily snapping at any likely person responsible for this situation. There was only one and she was receiving her reward for her dimwitted valor.

"It wasn't her fault," Henry pleaded.

Shay turned to him with surprise written across her face.

Sheriff Graham shifted his gaze towards the mayor's son. "Are you sure, Henry?"

The young boy nodded. "Yeah. I saw the whole thing. The real thieves were long gone before you came."

Graham took his hands off the holster and placed them on Henry's shoulder. "Do you think you could describe them?"

Henry turned to the redhead standing beside him and then to Graham. Her heart began to race. _Don't say anything, kid_, Shay thought.

"I don't think so," he mumbled. "Everything was happening so fast."

The sheriff nodded sympathetically. "I understand. If you think of anything, please let me know."

Graham then turned his glance at the young girl. "And you."

Shay held her breath. Was she off the hook? Did he suspect her? Was the sheriff going to throw her in jail?

"I do believe I owe you an apology," Graham smiled. "And a thank-you. For saving Henry."

Shay nodded. "It was no big deal."

The sheriff waved Henry good-bye before heading off to inform the storeowner about the predicament. Shay let out a sigh of relief. The girl turned around and looked down at Henry.

"Henry?" she asked. "Did you just lie to the town sheriff?"

The mayor's son simply smiled. "Like I said, it was all a blur."

Shay smirked. Now, she really liked this kid. Not just because a few seconds ago, Henry just saved her ass. She liked that he had his own spark in spite of the mayor's constant attempts to prove him psychologically insane.

"Henry!"

Shay looked up and saw a young woman approaching them. She looked around her mid-twenties, with smooth olive skin and enthralling brown eyes. The redhead narrowed her eyes at the woman, but Henry eased her suspicions.

"It's okay," he remarked. "That's my babysitter."

The woman came up to Henry and examined every strand of his brown hair.

"Are you alright?" she inquired, "I came down as soon as I heard about the robbery."

"I'm fine," Henry smiled. "Ariel saved me."

The woman furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "Ariel? As in the mermaid?"

The redhead rolled her eyes. "It's actually Shay."

The brunette stood up from the ground, smiling warmly at her with genuine gratitude radiating from her expression. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Jen."

She turned to Henry and linked hands with him. "Your mother is going to be worried sick. I better get you home quick."

Henry nodded, his bright smile wearing away from his face. At the slight mention of his mother, all the light in his eyes drained away. Shay frowned.

"It was nice meeting you," Jen smiled at Shay.

"You too," she nodded as the pair walked away from the store, back to Henry's home.

Shay stared at the boy, Henry, until he was out of sight. The poor kid.

The redhead turned around and headed towards her family. The crew burst out in excitement, as they watched one of their own narrowly escape the grasp of the law enforcement. A few even applauded as Shay approached them.

"You stupid idiot," Al smiled, embracing her in a tight hug. "Why would you do that?"

Fred jumped up and down excitedly, hugging her kneecaps.

"We thought you were toast," he remarked.

Shay smiled. "The police aren't fast enough to catch me, guppy."

Sebastian gave her the biggest hug she'd ever. She felt suffocated for a good minute before she could draw a breath of fresh air.

"Don't ever do that again," he said. "You had me worried sick."

"Sebs," Shay choked. "You're smothering me."

"I'm trying to have a sentimental moment, Shay," Sebastian remarked, "Don't ruin it."

"No," she gasped. "You're actually _literally_ smothering me."

"Oh," Stan realized, letting go of the young girl. She caught her breath for a few seconds, before realizing how truly meaningful Sebastian's words were.

She smiled. "But glad to know that you care so much about me."

Sebastian shrugged. "Who else do I have to care about?"

As the entire crew walked back, entertaining themselves with the tale of the red-haired girl rushing into danger to save a young boy, Al pulled Shay aside. He made sure there was a slight distance between them and the others before beginning to speak.

"Who was that girl you were talking to?" he asked her.

Shay stared at Al curiously. She couldn't help the slight smile that emerged on her lips. Was Al in love?

"Her name is Jen," she said. "She's Henry's babysitter."

Al nodded, pretending to be indifferent at this bit of information. Shay could tell however that it was already too late for him. In a matter of hours, Al couldn't stop thinking about her. After all, true love was very powerful indeed.

* * *

The pirate and the mermaid strolled down the main street of Storybrooke, as ignorant townspeople went about their daily routine, unaware of the terrible danger they were in. The lamps were lit and the stores were closing. Night had fallen upon the town, the perfect hunting ground for a werewolf.

Shay rubbed her arms, fending off the blistering wind against her damp clothing. Out of the corner of his eye, Killian noticed the young girl shivering from the frosty air.

"You're trembling," he frowned.

"Nothing gets past you, does it?" Shay said through chattering teeth.

Ignoring her sarcastic comment, Hook removed his lengthy black coat from his back. As much as he disliked the girl for besting him in a battle of wits, Killian hated to see the girl freeze to death.

"Here," he said. "Take my coat."

"How noble of you, pirate," Shay rolled her eyes.

"There's no need to be harsh, sweetheart," Killian said as he placed his jacket around her shoulders. "A simple thank-you would suffice."

Shay bit her lower lip. "Thanks," she uttered reluctantly, wrapping the coat tighter around her chest to conceal her from the cold.

Killian grinned. "Now was that so hard?" he whispered in her ear.

They approached Shay's apartment, still slightly wet from their fiasco earlier. As they entered the building, the neighbors eyed them suspiciously, especially the pirate with his polished hook. However their eyes didn't stray for long: one ferocious look from the pirate sent them walking away in fear.

The unkempt duo climbed up the stairway, leaving a trail of stray water droplets wherever they walked. The trail ended at Apartment 2A, Shay's place. When they pushed open the doors to the apartment, she could already imagine the surprised reaction on her roommate's face.

When the disheveled pair stepped into the living room of the apartment, a stupefied Sebastian jumped from the couch. His eyes widened, staring from the wet pirate to his wet roommate to the borrowed jacket she sported around her shoulders. Confusion was written all over his face as Shay pursed her lips.

"I'm going to go change," Shay announced, evading the awkward conversation Sebastian undoubtedly wanted to have.

The redhead left the pirate and the crab standing alone in the living room with the nighttime news playing softly in the background. Sebastian glared at Killian like a disapproving parent as the pirate shifted his gaze from the blonde boy to the magic speaking box centered on the carpet.

"So I assume you're the reason why Shay was late coming home today?" Sebastian reflected disdainfully.

"Complications arose," Killian stated, his blue-green eyes turning to face Shay's roommate.

The two men stared at each other distastefully. Killian didn't understand why he despised the roommate so much: perhaps it was his self-righteous impression. Sebastian scrunched his nose at the idea of someone like Shay spending so much time with a sleazy pirate. In their minds, they imagined murdering the other in a thousand imaginative ways to get their point across.

When Shay changed out of her wet clothes and reentered the living room, she could taste the heated tension between the two men in her life. _I was only gone a minute_, she exasperated to herself.

"If you want to fight," Shay interrupted the silence. "Take it outside."

They broke their death stares the instant the redhead stepped into the room, realizing how immature their silent showdown was.

Killian cleared his throat. "Shall we?"

Shay took one look at the soaking wet pirate and made a face. "You're going to freeze to death in that, Hook."

He looked down at his pirate getup. "I'm flattered that you care so much, little mermaid, but I'll live."

The redhead rolled her eyes. She wondered how long the tough act would last when they were running through the woods chasing down a wolf and the pirate was shivering uncontrollably from the wind blowing at his chest. _If he gets pneumonia, there may be a slight chance I could be rid of him for a few days_, Shay thought.

She cast out all these thoughts and reached for a clean shirt, jacket and a pair of jeans from the laundry basket.

"Change," Shay said, handing the pirate the attire.

"I love it when you're so authoritative," Hook winked, grabbing the clothing and sauntering off into the guest bathroom.

Her roommate shot her a worried expression, which Shay chose to ignore. When Killian emerged from the bathroom, the mermaid's emerald eyes couldn't help but linger on him for a while. He didn't look half bad in normal clothing, not that he looked bad in his pirate vest either.

"You clean up nice, pirate," Shay smirked. "Even I'm impressed."

Killian couldn't help but grin as the two prepared to leave the apartment to embark on their journey.

Sebastian narrowed his eyes. "You're going with her?"

The pirate smirked. "A gentleman doesn't let a woman walk alone at night."

"If you're what passes for gentleman these days…" Sebastian caustically seethed.

"Would you relax," Shay interrupted. "I can take care of myself."

"It's not you I'm worried about," he scowled at the pirate.

"It's not like we're doing anything illegal," Shay hesitantly said, hoping that her roommate wouldn't catch onto her wolf hunt scheme or her association with Storybrooke's worst criminals. He, however, misinterpreted entirely.

Sebastian turned to face his roommate with a panicked look on his face. "Are you sleeping with him?"

The girl almost laughed, thinking that her friend was joking. Obviously between the sneaking around town and intense chases, she had time to sneak in a quickie with the last person on Earth she would sleep with. She flashed him a look.

"Yes," Shay rolled her eyes. "That's why we're heading out. So that we can make sweet love to each other in the town center."

Killian raised his eyebrows.

"Don't even say it," the redhead glared at him.

Sebastian frowned. "Shay," he cautioned.

"I'll be fine," she repeated, scurrying out the door, "Quick worrying about me, crabs."

Unconvinced, Sebastian continued to glare at his roommate as she left the apartment with the debauched company. He stood there unmoved, watching closely at Killian's movement. As the doors shut behind the pair, the pirate smirked as he snuck in one last quip.

"Have a good night, _crabs_," he mocked. "I most certainly will."

Before Sebastian could protest, the doors of the apartment shut and the pirate dashed off to catch up with Shay. She glared at him for ruthlessly tormenting her roommate.

Killian smirked. "So about this sweet love?"

Ignoring his comment, Shay wandered down the stairs, plotting in her mind how exactly they planned to capture a werewolf and subdue her. Even combining both their strengths, it seemed almost impossible for Hook and Shay to surmount over a beast that had them trembling over a ledge half an hour ago.

Shay sighed. She had to do what she does best: improvise.

* * *

"There are only so many places a big wolf can hide," Shay exclaimed as she paced around an abandoned street, pondering where their monster could possibly have wandered off. The pair had already searched the majority of the town: the neighborhood homes, the cemetery, the hospital, the town center. The only place left was the forest which neither one of them wanted to explore at the dead of night.

Townspeople were receding back into their homes, as midnight grew nearer. Soon enough they were the only two people on the streets, save the wolf.

Hook leaned against a lamppost, watching as his accomplice anxiously formulated a plan. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the redhead fingering her golden locket and tapping her foot. She was anxious and frustrated, judging from her jittery appearance.

"You still haven't told me what that is," Hook nodded at her necklace.

Shay looked up, her fingers entangled in the necklace's chain.

"It's nothing," the redhead shrugged, releasing her grip on the locket.

Killian scoffed, pushing off against the lamppost, "You were willing to associate yourself with a pirate for that necklace."

"Maybe I just enjoy your sweet company," Shay mocked, remembering one of the first words the pirate said to her.

Normally, she expected him to retort her or at least make some inappropriate gesture at their nonexistent sexual relationship. But he did none of that. He, quite simply put, stared at her. His fiery blue-green eyes blared down at her, shooting her a look that would haunt her dreams with nothing but those deep eyes. This was far from the Hook she had grown to know.

"You trust me, right?" Hook grinned.

"No," Shay smirked. "I endure you."

Killian chuckled. "And here I thought we reached a certain level of intimacy."

Shay pressed together her lips. She didn't like the way Hook said "intimacy". It made it sound like a come-on. Then again, most things that came out of the pirate's mouth were come-ons.

The redhead broke her gaze when she saw a figure approaching down the street. She met her on several occasions, but was never formally introduced. Not that she wanted to. Shay was the town thief. She was the town sheriff. Emma Swan strolled down the abandoned street, walkie-talkie in one hand and Henry in the other. Shay didn't have the most decent of records when it comes to involvement with the law, which was probably why she avoided confrontation with the sheriff.

She panicked, watching as the pair neared them more and more. Though they were mere meters away, they never looked up from their conversation with each other. They hadn't spotted them yet: good.

Before she knew it, Shay tackled Killian into a dark alleyway, pushing him aside from the unforgiving eyes of the sheriff. Just before Shay landed on top of the pirate, she saw Emma and her son wandered past them, oblivious to their presence among garbage cans and rats. The girl sighed a breath of relief: successfully evading the law once again.

"There are simpler ways to get my attention than attacking me, love," Killian joked.

Shay rolled her eyes. _There's the Hook I know_, she thought as she climbed up off the ground. The sheriff and Henry were no longer in sight when Shay emerged from the alley. Hook, still toppled on the ground, tried to process what just happened.

"All clear," Shay announced, her arms hanging at her side.

Her eyes glanced down to her left, watching as Emma and her son walked hand-in-hand down the road, unbeknownst of the mermaid's presence. She sighed. Shay had managed to elude the police once again.

However, when she turned around to look at Killian, another figure emerged before her eyes. Shay began to panic as she saw Rumplestiltskin, angrily glowering at her with his dark magic looming over them like an impending omen. She held her breath and stood there in fright, soon wishing that it were Emma that caught her rather than this man.

"Where is it, dearie?" he demanded with a cruel grimace on his face.

"Where's what?" Shay muttered, her hands balled into a fist.

Mr. Gold shot daggers at the redhead, his eyes blazing with a fury that only true anger could provide.

"The shawl and the cup," Rumplestiltskin growled. "Where is it?"

Shay slightly inhaled. She recalled the shawl and cup that the pirate and her stole from the shop as leverage for the dagger's location. The redhead had completely forgotten about her possession of those two items: they were stashed somewhere in her apartment along with mountains of laundry and dirty clothing. She assumed that the Dark One had no use for such trivial pieces of sentiment: her mistake. With Rumplestiltskin clasping her throat and cutting off her oxygen supply, Shay should've known that her antics would catch up to her someday.

"If you don't tell me, I'll have to dig up the memory myself," the Dark One gritted. "And trust me when I say that it _will_ be painful."

Shay grimaced. She received many death threats throughout her life, but the only one she truly feared were those words that came out of Mr. Gold's mouth. But still, she held her tongue.

"Fair enough," Mr. Gold clenched his jaw. "You leave me no choice."

Shay shut her eyes, waiting for the excruciating pain that would come with the dark magic Rumplestiltskin planned to use. Her waiting was in vain.

"Crocodile."

The redhead opened her eyes. Emerged from the alleyway was Hook, smirking and scowling at the man whom he sought vengeance for so many years. She shot looks at her accomplice, expressing his insanity for revealing himself so openly. Rumplestiltskin's eyes widened in shock. He obviously never suspected his old nemesis to make an appearance in his interrogation of the local bartender.

"Hasn't anyone told you never to hit a woman," Killian grinned.

Before Rumplestiltskin could respond, the pirate punched him in the face, knocking him to the ground in one swift blow. The Dark One, ambushed by the element of surprise, fell quickly, bereft of any conscious magic to protect him.

Hook smiled, though he could not kill the Dark One, he was satisfied to finally confront the man who killed his true love after so many years.

Shay gasped for air as she stood there in shock. The cocky pirate had the audacity to pummel one of the most powerful dark magicians of the Fairytale realm, something she couldn't say for herself.

"You just…him…" Shay stammered, trying to find the words.

"You're welcome," Hook smiled.

Shay coughed, examining the unconscious Rumplestiltskin on the sidewalk. He lay there so peacefully: nobody would suspect the old man was someone powerful enough to rip a person's heart from his or her chest.

"Let's get out of here," Shay said, "Before the sheriff comes back."

Killian shot one last menacing look at his unconscious nemesis before following Shay across the street, leaving the Dark One robbed of his most treasured possessions.

They scurried around the corner, hiding in plain sight as she heard some townspeople gather around the unconscious pawnshop owner. Shay sighed. _Once again, I'm on the edge of the law_, she thought as she paced through closed stores and empty streets. The pair came to an eventual stop when the Dark One was nowhere in sight and the people of Storybrooke could no longer spot their whereabouts. However, no matter how far they ran, Shay and Killian both knew that the moment Mr. Gold wakes up, Captain Hook would be revealed.

"So much for a low profile," Shay muttered, flicking a stray strand of hair from her eyes.

Killian smirked. "I was never one for hiding in the shadows in the first place."

The redhead sighed. The only progress they've made tonight was Killian's encounter with an old enemy. Ever since the sighting at the wharf, the pirate and the mermaid hadn't seen the werewolf anywhere around town. Shay was beginning to think that the wolf had left the townspeople to be and their endless chase was simply to no purpose.

Shay stood there, leaning against the wall of an old shoe repair shop while the pirate fastened his prosthetic hand.

"Was that the first time you've actually talked to him?" Shay inquired. "Since…"

Killian nodded, his eyes glued to the ground. He didn't have to look up for the redhead to realize that seeing him again, locking eyes with the murderer of his love was a feeling that shook him to the core.

"Can't be easy," Shay muttered, remembering her own encounter with the Dark One a week ago.

The pirate looked, flashing a grin at the girl. "Is that a hint of concern I sense, mermaid?"

"Hardly," Shay said, trying to stop the blood rushing to her cheeks.

Killian leaned behind the corner, watching the townspeople gather around Mr. Gold, looking worried and relieved at the same time. He faithfully stood there, watching with a slight tinge of panic as the Dark One rose from the ground, regaining consciousness.

"That was awfully quick," Shay muttered to herself, her eyes fixed on the pawnshop owner.

Shay turned around from the corner, refusing to give Mr. Gold the satisfaction of knowing that they trembled behind a building watching him reenter the world of the living. Killian's eyes were glued on the scene as he watched Mr. Gold converse with Emma about their newest arrival in Storybrooke. He smiled as he watched Gold slightly quiver in fear of his name.

The redhead swiftly moved away from the scene of their assault, preparing to continue on he quest for the werewolf. She came out here for one purpose and so far, it looked bleak. Little did she know that in searching for it, the werewolf was looking for them.

Leaving Killian to his private musings, Shay started to off in the other direction of town. The redhead quietly snuck around the corner, hoping to prevent any light sleepers from waking. She was convinced that they'd eventually find the wolf.

Until disaster struck.

Shay turned the corner off of Elm Street and Main, passing a couple of rustling trees and a mass of eerie silence. That was when she came face to face with it. The second she rounded the bend, the mermaid was staring directly into the yellow eyes of the werewolf they had came across earlier that evening.

The young girl gulped, watching as the wolf surveyed her like a feast to be had on Thanksgiving. With bright auburn hair and glowing green eyes, she assumed she probably looked like a well-cooked turkey with cranberry sauce and green bean sides to the wolf, eyeing her like a delicacy waiting to be tasted.

"Sweetheart," Killian exclaimed delightfully, "I was beginning to think you were kidnapped."

As he turned the corner, he smiled. "Have I finally rendered you speechless, love? It was a challenge, but I must say, you did put up a hard fight."

When his deep green fell onto the black figure, his quips ceased. Killian immediately understood the mermaid's silence. The pirate's flippant demeanor dissolved into an expressionless look of trepidation. The two stood there, watching without a plan as the wolf inched towards them.

"Come on," Killian cried out, grabbing the young girl's hand. The pirate and the mermaid ran as fast as their legs would take them back into the town center.

The werewolf swiftly followed, each step a colossus compared to Shay and Hook's miniscule treads. They ran, knowing that the moment they stopped, the wolf devour them. Eventually, they managed to lose the wolf in an alternative route around the town, heading back to the scene of the crime.

As they reached the town center, the gathered townspeople stared at the incoming intruders. Shay and Killian attempted to avoid their judging glares, hoping to escape with their lives still intact.

"Hook?" Emma exclaimed.

_Low profile, my ass_, Shay thought to herself as the pair halted at the sheriff's commanding presence.

The blonde sheriff eyed the pirate with particular distaste as he flashed her a cocky grin.

"Emma," he smirked. "You look well."

Ignoring his flirtation, Emma went straight down to business. "You've only been here for two days and you're already terrorizing civilians, Hook."

"A week, actually," Hook shrugged.

Emma glared at him. "I'm going to have to arrest you."

"Can we have this lovely exchange another time, Swan?" he said, "We're in the middle of something rather important."

Shay turned around. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the wolf nearing them once again. The black figure, catching onto their scent, beamed directly at them, charging at full speed towards the entire crowd of Storybrooke citizens.

"Hook," she warned.

He turned to face her. Sensing the tone of her voice, Killian need not turn to look towards their back to know the wolf was coming. Emma gasped, watching as panicked townspeople fled away in fear, hiding in darkened alleys and apartment complex. The roaring growl of the wolf filled the entire street with panic.

"Oh my God," she exclaimed, pulling out her gun from her holster, "Ruby."

The three stood there as dozens of town people beside them were cowering in fear of the Big Bad Wolf's return. Shay pursed her lips, vowing to herself that she wouldn't leave the bar with Killian Jones at night when his line was "Cora needs you"; cooperating with those two can only lead to trouble. Killian stood besides her, instinctively reaching for his sword, which, of course, wasn't there.

Shay turned and stared at Emma's pitiful weapon. "You really think that's going to hold off a werewolf?" she remarked sarcastically.

"You have a better idea?" Emma said, aiming the gun at the wolf, "I'm all ears."

With the wolf only two paces away from them, the sheriff let out a speeding bullet aimed directly at the leg of the creature. The wolf collapsed to the ground, letting out a whimpering sound of pain.

"I think I stopped it," Emma announced, examining the creature lying wounded on the ground.

Shay scrutinized the wolf's every movement, every groan that emerged from its mouth. Something was not right. A tiny bullet could barely stop Captain Hook in his quest for vengeance, let alone a beast ten times the size of a normal being. She didn't buy it.

"No, you didn't," Shay breathed cautiously. "It's playing possum."

Inherently, the three backed away from the wolf, readying themselves to run if need be. Knowing its act was up, the beast jumped to its feet and started charging at them once again. Emma impulsively aims her gun at the wolf, knowing full well that this was no longer a viable way to stop it. The wolf stormed towards them, its wild eyes thirsting for nothing but to kill.

The wolf assailed the trio, striking the gun out of Emma's hand and throwing her up against the wall. Hook was hurled towards the edge of the street, groaning at the painful landing. Shay hurdled across the street, crashing into the brick wall of a deserted shop. With one blow, the werewolf managed to knock three fully-grown adults to the ground without strain or remorse. They all knew, in that instant, the werewolf was not to be trifled with.

"Granny," Emma spoke through her walkie-talkie, helping herself up from the ground, "It's the sheriff. We have some serious problems here."

Shay was groaning on the side of the road, attempting to gather enough strength to get up. However, before she could move, the wolf trailed over to her side, leaning over her chest and growling at her with malice. The mermaid didn't know if it was her red hair or green eyes that stood out to the wolf: all that she knew was that the beast chose to kill her. Shay's green eyes widened. Its yellow eyes showed no resemblance to the girl she met on the ship that evening: what replaced her was pure evil.

In a split second, the wolf dug its teeth into her right shoulder, slicing through her flesh with its razor-sharp jaws.

The young girl screamed out in pain, watching as trickles of blood flowed from her shoulder. She shut her eyes to escape the excruciating agony of her prolonged death.

Suddenly, the jaws released themselves from her shoulder blade. Shay opened her eyes in surprise, steadying her strained breathing, as she saw the wolf slumped against a wall, temporarily wounded. She turned to her left and saw her savior aiming Emma's smoking gun at the fallen beast.

Killian rushed towards the girl, pocketing the gun around the belt of his jeans. Shay laid there on the ground, wincing at the slight movement of her arm. Without hesitation, the pirate lifted the mermaid off her feet for the second time that night, removing her scent of blood as far away from the injured werewolf. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as the crowd gathered around the creature while Hook set lightly set her down on the ground. The pirate leaned down and examined her wound.

"It's rather deep," he remarked, furrowing his eyebrows.

Shay let out a labored laugh. "Is that a hint of concern I detect, pirate?" she choked out.

He smiled. Hearing her make a sarcastic remark was one of the telltale signs that her wound wouldn't be fatal: she would survive.

Shay stared off to where the wolf stood. People were maintaining a significant distance but gathered close enough to watch as the werewolf snapped at them. She saw an elderly figure emerge from the shadows, the owner of that quaint breakfast shop down the street. She held in her hands a red cloak and a crossbow in the other. Shay winced. She didn't want to know what the crossbow was for.

Like that, the old woman wrapped the cloak around the fallen wolf, watching as the figure slowly shrunk into the size of a normal person. Emerged from red clothing, Red Girl (or Ruby as others know her) crawled out, in her human form, eyes darting about in confusion.

Shay shut her eyes. At least they stopped a werewolf from killing an entire town. Despite the aching pain in her shoulders, the redhead felt an ounce of success at their victory tonight, though it was rather difficult to celebrate given the circumstances.

While the town was hovering over the recovered Ruby, Hook helped Shay to her feet.

"We have to get out of here," Killian said, lifting the wounded girl off the ground. "Can you walk?"

Shay nodded, covering the injury with her free hand. She slowly limped off with Hook, watching as Ruby rubbed her head in confusion. The redhead couldn't believe that a minute ago, the girl was disguised as a wolf, chasing innocents throughout town.

Shay looked away. She knew Ruby already had enough prying eyes from the judgmental fairytale characters of Storybrooke fixated on her, trying her for her actions. She need not have the mermaid with the largest track history in town judge her as well. As the pair turned the corner, mermaid stole one last glance at the poor girl before turning away, letting the pirate lead her to safety.

* * *

Shay gasped. The minute the purple smoke dissipated from her eyes, her fogged memory was unveiled before her mind. She remembered everything, every past action, every tear shed on Eric's behalf. The mermaid remembered who she was, what she'd done, why she was here.

The redhead looked up from her own epiphany. The townspeople were in shock, wandering aimlessly throughout Storybrooke with the discovery of their true selves. A couple reunited after many years of separation. A young boy and girl embracing their father after a long-lost reunion. A young woman smiling to herself, realizing that she was a princess, a ruler in their old realm.

"The curse is broken," Shay heard many of the townspeople exclaim.

Shay shut her eyes. 28 years of ignorance seemed too short, at least for someone wishing to forget her past. Of all the members of the cursed town, she was the only one that had wished the curse endured slightly longer.

"Shay."

The redhead turned to face her long-time beloved friend, calling out to her like a siren. A familiar face, once again.

"Al," she smiled.

The tall, scrawny boy stared at her with contentment, a look that he hadn't worn in the many years they were partners in thievery. He remembered everything, a luxury that they hadn't had for a long while.

"It's actually Aladdin," Al corrected, scratching the back of his head. "That's what people called me back home."

Shay smirked. "It's a nice name."

The pair stood there silent. It seemed that knowing the past hindered their ability to talk to one another anymore. In Fairytale Land, they had such different lives. One was a street rat struggling for food and on the brink of starvation. The other was a princess, living in a foreign land away from home. Another thing the broken curse deprived Shay of: their friendship.

"So," Aladdin articulated awkwardly.

"So," Shay pursed her lips. "I guess this is the end for us."

Aladdin nodded. They both knew that with the curse broken their family would be separated. Little Fred probably had a mother looking for him. Jason was likely a big brother to many younger siblings. Rob's parents were, no doubt, worried sick about their lost boy. One by one, they would each leave with the awareness of their loved ones.

"I have to find Jen," Al remarked.

Shay raised her eyebrow. "Jen? Henry's babysitter?"

Aladdin explained. "Her name is actually Jasmine. We were married."

Shay immediately understood. They were in love, separated by the Evil Queen's curse like many others in the town.

"Go, Al," the redhead smiled. "After all these years, you two deserve to find each other."

The young thief smiled. He gave her one last hug before departing.

"What are you going to do, Shay?" Aladdin asked.

The redhead smiled. "I don't know. But I always figure something out eventually."

Shay watched as her best friend walked down the sidewalk with true love in his mind. He didn't even notice the lost look in her eyes, the look that she felt return to her. If she wasn't Ariel anymore, who was she?

As Aladdin slowly disappeared from sight, Shay turned around. There, stood a bar before her eyes, filled with eerie silence. She recognized this place; it was owned by a rather short and stout man. It was one of the few places the girl didn't have the pleasure of robbing, usually because it was filled with people. However, today, nobody was there: they were all outside celebrating the good news of the broken curse.

The young girl raised her eyebrows. _Might as well see if they have an opening_, Shay thought, pushing the doors open to the vacant tavern.

* * *

Killian shoved open the doors to Smee's empty bar. He watched as Shay struggled to stand upright with the amount of discomfort she felt in her right arm. The pirate would've led the young girl home had it not been more convenient to come here; he himself couldn't have endure the damsel's pained expression any longer than the walk to the bar.

Shay, gripping her shoulder tightly, wandered into her workplace, her jaw clenched tight to relieve herself of the pain. With all the familiar

Hook displayed some gentleman-like honor as he escorted her up on the counter, grabbing the first alcoholic container he set his eyes on.

"Smee's going to kill you," Shay acknowledged as she watched the pirate tear open the bottle with his teeth.

"You truly think that man can take me in a duel, love?" Killian smirked. "How could you think so lowly of me?"

With the bottle opened, the pirate first took a sip of the beverage before tending to the mermaid's wounds. Shay rolled her eyes as she watched Killian dab a moist towelette with Smee's finest bourbon. She sat on the countertop, one hand on the table, the other covering her wound.

"Do you do this to all the girls you take home?" Shay quipped, trying to ease her mind of the open wound.

"No," Hook smirked. "Just you."

Killian, holding the wet towel in his hand, stared at her.

"You're going to have to take off that jacket, love," he said. "Or else I can't patch you up."

Shay looked down. Her favorite leather jacket was torn to shred thanks to that werewolf menace. She sighed, slipping off the outerwear, revealing a black tank top underneath. Hook smiled, eyeing her with a seductive look. The mermaid, too weak to shoot him a threatening expression, chose to ignore him.

Killian lightly pressed the alcohol-soaked rag against her cut. Shay bit down on her tongue and grimaced. The burning sting irritated the mermaid's smooth skin, so much so that the young girl was inches away from screaming out in agony.

"Is this really necessary," Shay pleaded. "Can't I just go home now?"

"Do you want an infection, sweetheart?" Killian simply said.

Shay attempted to jerk away from his grip, but the pirate caught her hand before she could slap away his rag.

"Hold still," the pirate said sternly.

The redhead frowned, knowing that she wouldn't be able to shy away from the stinging touch of the alcohol. She sat there very still, biting her lower lip and staring up at the ceiling as the pirate wiped away any blood caked on her shoulders.

"Where did you learn this first aid stuff anyway?" Shay asked.

"Being out at sea takes a lot of medical knowledge," Killian said, his eyes glued on Shay's shoulder. "If I didn't know how to wrap a bandage, I'd be long dead."

Killian reached for the bandages, carefully placing them on her clean shoulder. With the creative use of his mouth, the pirate wrapped around the gauze, his breathe hotly against the skin and his face inches away from kissing her shoulder. Shay shut her eyes, trying not to think about the last time a man was this close to her.

When the bandage was wrapped and the young girl was all patched up, the pirate look one look at Shay's back and began to chuckle.

Shay turned around and stared. "What?"

The captain's playful blue eyes twinkled with delight. "I don't mean to alarm you, Shay, but I believe I just found your tattoo."

The young girl whipped her head back in surprise. The pirate stood there, marveling at the mermaid's ink around the back of her neck. Shay had forgotten all about that tattoo and their discussion earlier that evening. She pursed her lips. Killian, peering at Shay's back, gaped at the image of two sparrows in flight.

"It's beautiful," Hook smiled, tracing the outline of her tattoo with his fingers, lightly stroking the bird's beak.

"I got it a while back," Shay said quietly.

Killian stared at it for a long minute, hypnotized by its beauty. Shay sat there, shutting her eyes as she felt the captain's long stares bearing into her back. It took a while for her to process what was happening: she was allowing herself to indulge in Hook's decadence.

Awakened from her trance, Shay hopped off the countertop of the bar, leaving a dazed pirate staring at what formally was the mermaid's back. She lifted the jacket off the counter and held it close to her chest.

Shay smirked. "We should probably be heading back. My roommate's worried enough already."

Killian smiled to himself, recalling Sebastian's horrified look when he shot him that last one-liner. "Yes, it's probably for the best."

She slipped on the blood-soaked leather jacket as the pirate helped her out of the bar. The pain subdued thanks to Killian's medical expertise and Shay began to recover from the bite. Hook held open the door for the injured young girl, watching as she trudged out of the tavern with one arm arched to the side.

As she entered the cool atmosphere of winter once again, Shay stared out across the street. She wasn't sure if it was the pain gave her hallucinations or reality, but it gave her closure nevertheless.

A couple walked down the street, arms intertwined with one another. The man smiled at the young woman, staring at her like a man in love. The woman laid her head on the man's shoulders, basking in the feeling of utter security. Shay smiled as she saw her old friend Al, happily with his true love.

For a second, Aladdin turned and noticed Shay, standing there and staring at them with a faint hint of fulfillment written across her face. Neither one said anything because they were too far, but Al and Shay had an unspoken conversation written in one genuine expression of friendship. He smiled at her before leaving off into the night sky with his newly wed wife.

"Who was that?" Killian asked as he shut the door behind him.

"An old friend," Shay smiled, watching Al disappear from her life for the second time.

She thought back to the last time Al had said good-bye. Shay was standing in this exact spot, outside of the bar, watching the young scrawny boy leave to find his true love. The redhead smiled: she was so lost then, so resigned. She turned to peer at Hook who stood there smirking at her with those blue-green eyes reflecting the glimmering light. Now, the mermaid was slowly finding her way.

* * *

Killian ambled back to his vessel after escorting Shay back to her apartment building. It had been a long night and all the pirate wanted to do was head back to his chambers and sleep. Hook wasn't built for heroics, the rescuing of princesses or saving of civilians. Tonight, he went against his entire nature because of one young lass's caustic words. Serves him right to be so easily manipulated with those green eyes.

He truly worried for the girl, throwing herself in harm's way half-cocked and wrongfully brave. Killian had no doubt that if Shay were more reckless, she'd end up with a worse wound than the one she earned tonight. The pirate frowned at the thought of the mermaid in more agony than she displayed that night.

_Do I care for her?_ Killian thought to himself. He immediately dismissed that thought, writing it off as an impossible fact. He couldn't care for her: Captain Hook was a heartless pirate after all.

As he reached the ledge of his ship, a darkened figure emerged beside him, looming over his shadow like an ominous warning. Killian turned around and gazed upon his accomplice. Cora smiled cruelly at the pirate. Last time they spoke, they weren't on the best of terms; it seemed that now wasn't much better either.

"You've been out late," she remarked, watching as Killian stepped down from the invisible ledge.

"All thanks to your magic tricks," the pirate sneered. "I spent a rather uneventful evening chasing down that werewolf you set loose."

The sorceress remained silent, staring at the pirate. She sensed something off about Hook, something she couldn't quite put her finger on. For her plans, Cora was determined to have no loose ends: she would hate to have the pirate captain become one of them.

"What do you want, Cora?" Killian demanded.

Her cruel smile melted off her face as she commanded a more serious tone. "The cricket is gone. He's escaped."

Killian smirked, holding his hooked hand out towards his partner in crime. "And whose fault is that?"

"I had business to attend to," Cora contended.

"Such as," Hook raised his eyebrow.

Cora shifted towards the left, revealing another concealed figure in the backdrop. Killian froze, immediately recognizing the woman that stood before him. He wasn't frightened so much as concerned. He heard rumors of her evil and feared that Shay may not stomach her as well as he.

"Hello, Hook," Regina smiled.

The trio stood there, beckoning in each other's wicked deeds. Hook uncomfortably moved his gaze from the witch to the witch's daughter. Their movements and gestures mimicked each other's almost in perfect synchrony. He'd hoped that there wouldn't be a second Cora in this realm, but it seemed his wishes were denied. As if one wicked witch wasn't enough, there had to be two in the same town.

_What have I gotten myself into?_ Hook thought to himself.

* * *

Shay woke up mid-afternoon after the much needed nap. Sebastian was already up, cooking lunch while the redhead trudged through the messy apartment in search of coffee. Her right shoulder was still sore from the wound, but after a long rest, she felt recuperated after the long night.

"You're up earlier than I expected," Sebastian remarked as he sprinkled a few grains of pepper into his dish.

Shay made a face at him, reaching for the coffee machine.

"How was your date?" Sebastian remarked sarcastically.

The redhead rolled her eyes. "It wasn't a date."

Pouring herself a mug of black Americano, Shay thought back to last night. A lot of it was fuzzy, likely because the pain became a central focus of her memory. She remembered the wolf biting her. And then Killian taking care of her. Odd, Shay had thought that would be one of the things her mind would try to suppress.

She sipped her coffee, feeling a sensation of warmth encompass her. Sebastian slid a freshly baked quesadilla onto Shay's plate and set the meal before her.

"Before I forget," Sebastian remarked, "There's a package for you."

Shay looked up in surprise. She never got mail in her 29 years of living in Storybrooke: never had she grown close enough with someone that they would send her anything via mail. She hopped off the chair and went over doorway to see. What stood in front of her was something Shay'd never guess.

"It's strange someone would send you a large jar of jellybeans, huh?" Sebastian said, taking a bite of his own quesadilla.

Shay picked up the jar and examined them. A colorful assortment of the candy, her favorite candy, resting in her hands. She chuckled to herself when she noticed that all the blue ones were gone from the jar. The redhead knew exactly who sent them.

"Not that strange," she muttered to herself, carrying the jellybean to the kitchen and setting them on the counter.

Her emerald eyes glanced at them for a split second and subconsciously, she felt content sensation pass through her. It was only there for a second, but Shay knew it was there. She smiled at herself, picking up the coffee and sipping the last dregs of the drink.


	5. Closer Everyday

**Hey guys! Thanks for the amazing reviews. They're absolutely great! TheBlueJellybean, I'm watching you :P [if that isn't who I think it is, then please ignore that comment]. Enjoy!**

* * *

It was another dreary day. Gray clouds were looming over the humdrum town of Storybrooke, Maine: a land cursed and blessed by magic from another realm. The hazy skies filled everybody's hearts with dull boredom. Everything was quiet like a lazy Sunday afternoon. Sleepy citizens wandered aimlessly about, searching for nothing as they had for 28 years.

Apart from one.

Shay Winters, a young bartender, laid in her bed, enjoying a peaceful nap into the late afternoon. Bleak overcast light drifted into her window, fluttering against her smooth pale skin. Her auburn hair glittered against the muffled sunlight, shining even brighter than the rays of the golden star. She was calm. He almost didn't want to wake her.

"Ahem," the voice coughed.

Shay peeked open her emerald green eyes, her mind half way between worlds. She sleepily acknowledged the intruding voice before wandering back into a dreamy state.

"Little mermaid," the voice cooed, "Wake up."

Once again, she opened her eyes, this time a little more awake. _That voice_, she thought. The redhead abruptly stood her, her eyes blaring at whoever violated her privacy. A tall, dark figure leaned against her doorway, smirking at the disheveled young girl as she shot him deadly looks.

"Hook," Shay grumbled, "What the hell are you doing in my bedroom?"

Captain Hook smirked. His blue-green eyes twinkled against the meager light, illuminating the room with his playful banter.

"Aren't you glad to see me?" the pirate jested, flashing the young girl a flirtatious wink.

Shay straightened out her hair, trying to process why exactly Killian Jones was in her apartment in the first place. She didn't remember inviting him here last night, nor this morning. The redhead rubbed her eyes, pushing back the migraine she felt on the back of her head.

"You were rather drunk last night."

Shay paused.

She couldn't have been drunk. She was at home the whole night. Wasn't she? No, no, it was all coming back to her. Last night, Shay was in the bar with Killian, talking to him about something. What were they talking about?

Shay scratched the back of her head. Everything was a blur.

Killian fiddled with his silver hook as he keenly watched the mermaid climb out of her bed. Her pile of red hair fell against her shoulders like a cascade of flames. The young girl was half-clothed, with a short-cropped shirt and boxers: her glistening thin legs immediately drew the attention of the lustful pirate's lingering gaze.

Shay turned to Hook, whose wandering eyes were fixated on the one reminder of her deal with Rumplestiltskin.

"Hey," the redhead snapped. "Eyes up here, sailor."

Killian's eyes found their way back to eye level. He smirked: a trademark move.

"Feisty this morning, are we?" the pirate grinned. "Get dressed. We have a lot to do today."

Shay grimaced. "We?"

She didn't like the sound of that.

Hook raised an eyebrow. "You promised, didn't you?"

The young girl's memory from last night was still hazy. She barely remembered how she got home, let alone any past conversation she had with the pirate.

"Promised what?" The redhead furrowed her eyebrows.

Killian revealed a coy smile. "To show me the zoo," he said.

Shay stood there, her mouth wide open. She watched in a confused daze as the pirate gave her some privacy to change. Her hands were on her drawers, holding onto the knobs for support. Her knees were going weak.

_I promised what now?_ she thought.

* * *

"This is a zoo?" Killian frowned, crossing his arms at the entrance.

Storybrooke's town zoo was located near the outskirts of the town, nearly touching the town border with its farm animal exhibit. It was a small park with few animals held captive which was probably the reason why not many people were too eager to go to the zoo: it was abandoned most days.

But Shay loved coming here. Whenever time cleared up (or whenever she felt down), the young girl would wander over to the zoo and watch the dolphins flip their fins and the horses gallop. It was her escape, her private sanctuary.

Now, she was bringing a pirate.

"Are you coming or not?" Shay exasperated.

Killian smirked. He sauntered up to her, his eyes beaming down at the young mermaid. Hook reminded Shay of a lazy jungle cat, the way he moved, so self-assured, like he was stalking a prey. Or a lover.

"What's your rush, sweetheart?" the pirate said, his faces inches away from her lips. Shay blinked at him as she felt a tinge of his warm breath against her cheek.

The redhead pursed her lips, watching as Killian's enchanting eyes looked away and intruding in her safe haven. Though she wouldn't care to admit, the pirate did intrigue her. She let out her long-held breath and followed him inside.

If either of them were blind, they would immediately know their whereabouts by the smell alone. There was a sharp odor of animal fur and worthless hay that filled the air. Exotic animals bleated and roared in perfect synchrony. Shay giddily smiled at the sound of a cow letting out a prolonged "moo" in the distance.

As they entered, the entrance man flashed Shay a warm smile. She waved at him back as Killian watched her with a curious look.

"You've been here often?" the pirate asked.

"What makes you say that?" the redhead smirked, edging onwards.

Upon entrance into the zoo, there were many colorful signs pointing in different directions around the park. One pink arrow indicated the direction of the farm animal patch. One blue sign pointed towards the jungle cat cage. Another green one led to the way to a quaint birdhouse. Where to begin?

The pair visited Storybrooke Zoo's most well known attractions first, if any could be deemed "well-known". The mermaid and the pirate strolled around the reptile room, watching the caged creatures itching at the glass cage. Shay revisited the only giraffe in the entire facility, a lonely animal named Herman, whom she empathized with. Killian, using his unhooked hand, fed the resident baby deer, his eyes gleaming with delight at the innocent animal's large endearing eyes.

As much as the mermaid would not care to admit, Killian and Shay were indeed enjoying each other's company.

Even, she had to admit how surprisingly fast time flew by. The two were so invigorated by the sights and sounds that they barely noticed the Storybrooke Bell Tower chiming. They had been out for more than three hours: a surprising record even for the fascinated young mermaid.

The redhead watched with amusement as Killian poked his fingers through the barbed wires of the predatory birdcage. The pirate seemed genuinely interested in the animals at the zoo, a fact that was quite a shock to the redhead. She never took him to be the sensitive type who appreciated nature's gifts. Seeing the man grinning uncontrollably at the majestic birds, Shay knew how wrong she was.

"Come on," the redhead grinned, resting a hand on Hook's shoulder. "There's something you have to see."

Hook followed Shay towards the indicated direction of a blue sign with worn-out white words scrawled across the wooden board. The words were long faded, washed away with age and indifference. The pirate had no idea where they were headed, but there was a clear impression that the young girl indeed saved the best exhibit for the last.

"Where are you taking me, mermaid?" he asked, his long leather coat swinging at his thighs with the slight breeze.

"You'll see," Shay smiled, charging forward.

Hook wore an amused grin on his face. The two were the only ones strolling along the sidewalks of the abandoned zoo, paving their footprints against the dirtied stepping-stones of the ground. Their strides were in sync as Shay's emerald green eyes glittered with anticipation.

The withdrawn sun shone its glory, gradually emerging from the mass of gray clouds that departed from the blue skies. Shay felt the warmth of the sun's rays descend upon her cheeks, praising the end of the formerly bleak weather. The lethargic demeanor was lifted and the town reawakened in vitality.

When Shay saw the exhibit, the redhead came to a complete stop.

She smiled, gesturing towards Killian the magnificent sight before them.

The pirate smirked. "This is it? Fish?"

An aquarium stood before their eyes, with a rainbow of fishes and sea creatures swimming around a semi-large tank. The colors reflected the sunlight against the pale shade of clear water as schools of these graceful mammals swam from one end to the other. Shay cracked a smile.

"They're so much more than fish," she said, resting her arms against the rail and observing in awe.

Killian shifted beside her, watching her eyes trace the movement of a tiny yellow fish, paddling across the surface. He chuckled at her subtle gestures. A faint smile, a twitch of the eyebrow, a scrunch of the nose.

"You seem to be healing quite nicely," he remarked, motioning towards Shay's right shoulder.

The young girl looked down, seeing the painful reminder of their previous encounter with the wolf. The wound was healed, now stitched and sealed from further bleeding, but Shay still winced slightly at any sudden movement in her arms. But the wound was healing, as was any memory from that night. Or so she thought.

"Thanks to you," Shay nodded.

_Why did you say that,_ Shay thought, mentally kicking herself in the shin.

She sighed. Ever since Regina, Cora's unholy daughter, joined their merry band of evil, the redhead has been on edge. The mermaid and the Evil Queen were, by no means, associated back in Fairytale Land, but they were, in fact, disdainful towards the other. Seeing as how Ursula, Ariel's stepmother, was a dedicated asset to the Queen, Regina was less than pleased to meet the girl responsible for the wicked stepmother's demise. They have been having difficulties working together since.

Killian recognized her suffering immediately and most likely stemmed from similar ones. Although he and the Queen had no grudges, the pirate could feel the overcrowding of their group. Four was a crowd. His solitary way of life was compromised, his lone wolf tactics no longer called upon.

The mermaid and pirate were both at loss.

What else could the pair do but drink their sorrows away?

She chastised herself for allowing enough interactions with Killian; God knows she gave him enough last night. Shay scrunched her eyebrows, thinking back to that night. Blurry images. She was sitting on the tabletop, giggling at a drunken Killian fumbling around the tables. Was that it? No, she remembered distinctly talking to Hook. She still couldn't recall their conversation, just mindless drinking and a lot of laughter and her curiosity was tearing at the seam.

"Hook," Shay quietly said. "What exactly did I say last night?"

The pirate smirked, turning to face her. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

When Shay stared him down with serious green eyes, Killian pursed his lips, watching uncomfortably as her eyes pierced a hole through his heart. She looked concerned, like she revealed herself to the wrong person. Hook wanted desperately to prove that she didn't.

"Most of it was a jumble," Killian shrugged. "A lot of talk about the zoo, your roommate. Some of it made no sense."

"And the part that did?" Shay egged on.

Killian smiled. Shay, seeing his expression, was first in shock. She had rarely seen the pirate sport a genuine grin: those were reserved for feeding baby deer and petting bald eagles.

"You talked about Eric," the pirate said.

The redhead winced, contemplating the imaginative range of things she could've revealed.

"Relax," Killian smirked, "You said nothing of importance. Though I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed that talking was all we did last night."

Shay let out a sigh of relief. As much as the mermaid had grown tolerate Killian's comings and goings, she wasn't quite sure if she wanted to trust him yet. After all, he was a pirate.

"You must get annoyed at how much I talk about him," Shay sympathized.

The pirate simply shrugged. "I don't mind."

There was an unspoken understanding between the two as they eyes glided across the fish tank. The little yellow fish floated steadily before their sight. Its beady eyes stared at the young girl, watching her with confusion. Shay reached out to touch the glass seconds before the fish fluttered away. She smiled.

"Why do you enjoy coming here?" Killian asked, watching the intrigued girl.

Shay sighed. Her eyes were distantly watching the ocean of fish, hoping to once again retreat in her dream world.

"It's the closest I can get to home," Shay said.

"The ocean?" the pirate asked.

The girl gave a small nod, shutting her eyes. In that moment, she was back home with her sisters, wandering Atlantis before Rumplestiltskin, before any curse. They were smiling at her as they did 30 years ago. Their gemstone tails glittering against the afternoon sun beaming down into the waters.

Shay opened her eyes, anticipating the sea. All that stood before her was a tank.

"Let's go," the redhead muttered. "The zoo's about to close."

Shay treaded towards the entrance, the pirate pacing beside her. She watched as the exhibits passed by their peripheral vision: birds, reptiles, cows. They all nodded at her as she passed them by, as if to say goodbye to their dear friend once more.

The melancholy feeling of leaving the zoo overwhelmed the young girl. As much as she loved coming here, she hated leaving even more.

As the pair neared the entrance, she knew that the day was ending, that Sunday was close to its demise. Soon, it would be the start of another week, another lifeless adventure.

Just before the two would bid farewell at the entrance, Killian smirked at the young mermaid, his eyes glistening with mischief.

"You never formally invited me to the zoo," he admitted, wearing a wry grin across his face.

Shay paused. "I didn't?"

The pirate shook his head. "You talked about it so much last night that I became intrigued."

The redhead let out an exasperated breath. "Couldn't you have come alone instead of dragging me with you?"

Killian smirked. "I'd come to enjoy your company, little mermaid. Besides, something tells me you wouldn't pity another visit to your home."

Shay opened her mouth to say something witty, but the pirate whisked away into the distance before she could respond. She bit her lower lip, not knowing what she felt. Betrayal? Surprise? Glee?

As she too walked away from the abandoned zoo, Shay smiled to herself. She glimpsed back at the distant pirate, shuffling across the sidewalk with his leather coat and sinfully brown hair. For once, she acknowledged him for what he was.

Her friend.


End file.
